


Ringing Of The Bells

by heartsdesire456



Category: HIStory3 - 圈套 | HIStory3: Trapped
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Gang Violence, Kidnapping, M/M, Married Characters, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2020-12-16 07:08:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21032240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456
Summary: After Tang Yi was released from prison, he and Shao Fei thought their lives were going to get easier now. No more mysteries to solve. No more vengeance to seek out. Just moving forward with their lives and their jobs.But sometimes leaving behind a life of crime and loving a former crime boss doesn't allow for the simple life of a happy couple.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know you're thinking "STOP WRITING NEW THINGS YOU DUMB BITCH!" but whatever. I finished this series a few weeks ago and I can't get over it. It was just so good and the characters are so interesting and I NEEDED TO WRITE FANFICTION!
> 
> Hopefully you guys will enjoy this one!

The day that Tang Yi was released, there were already so many things he needed to do now that he was free. However, the most important one was his first stop.

“Take me to him,” he said to the driver as soon as he got in the car.

Hong Ye looked at him incredulously. "Tang Yi, we have so much to do.”

“I know, but I have one higher priority than Xin Tian Meng,” he said simply. Hong Ye sighed but knew better. He smiled to himself, though his calm was all faked because his mind and body craved one thing.

Shao Fei.

He had actually held his promise and waited for him. Tang Yi had hoped he would, because their love had to be fate after all the things that happened to bring them together, but he had feared it wouldn’t be possible for Shao Fei to cling to someone who was going to be in prison for three whole years.

But he came to see him every week. For all the while, after such a long time behind bars, every single week Shao Fei came to see him and promised him he was still waiting. It was truly fate that bound them, Tang Yi believed, and he knew exactly what he was going to do now that he was free again.

When they got to the police precinct, Hong Ye looked surprised to see her partner waiting for them. “Why is Dao Yi here?”

Tang Yi smiled. “He is bringing me a package,” he said, and immediately upon exiting the car, he walked to him. “Dao Yi.”

“Sir,” he greeted, and then held up his hand knowingly.

Hong Ye looked at the package and her eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” he said, taking the ring box from Dao Yi. “I’m very serious,” he said, then turned and headed inside, both Hong Ye and Dao Yi following him. He smirked, knowing he was about to annoy his beloved. Shao Fei had been lied to and told that tomorrow was the day Tang Yi was released specifically so he could surprise him with his proposal. He had weighed the pros and cons of doing it with Shao Fei at work, but he figured everybody knew Shao Fei was in a relationship with the notorious Xin Tian Meng boss.

There were actually some new faces as he walked into Third Division, but his eyes were only for Shao Fei. He was leaned over Zhao Zi’s desk, letting him show him something on the screen, and it was actually the small woman, Yu Qi who spotted him first. “Oh! Tang Yi!”

Shao Fei immediately looked up, eyes wide, and when Tang Yi smiled at him, Shao Fei lit up so beautifully. “What are you doing here?!” he demanded, walking around the desk to meet him, only to have Tang Yi, not caring who was watching, pull him into his arms and kiss him firmly and deeply, right there. Shao Fei made a sound of surprise, but didn’t fight it, sinking one hand into Tang Yi’s hair, the other curling around him tightly. 

When they broke apart to breathe, Tang Yi felt like crying. “I love you,” he whispered, and Shao Fei laughed in delight, holding his face in his hands.

“Why are you out a day early? Why didn’t you tell me? I wanted to be there to-“ Tang Yi dropped to one knee, and Shao Fei’s eyes widened. “What are you doing?”

Tang Yi held up the ring box and opened it. “Meng Shao Fei, I don’t want to spend another moment unsure if I can spend the rest of my life with you. The time spent without you in my arms every single day was torture. I want to know that you will be there, in my home and in my heart, forever. Please, will you make my life complete for the first time ever by becoming my husband?”

There was a long, stunned silence in the entire office until Zhao Zi broke it by clapping. "Yay! Congratulations!”

Tang Yi smiled, holding Shao Fei’s gaze. “He hasn’t answered me yet, Zhao Zi,” he pointed out, and that seemed to snap Shao Fei out of it.

“Tang Yi,” he breathed, and then in a split-second Tang Yi was flat on the floor with Shao Fei’s lips devouring his. He didn’t care about his suit, he didn’t care about the ridiculous scene they were making, he just held him close, kissing him back. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.” Shao Fei said, with a kiss somewhere on his face before every word. He laughed beautifully, tears in his eyes. “Tang Yi,” he whimpered, and Tang Yi cupped his cheek, brushing a tear that strayed. 

“I adore you,” Tang Yi whispered, and then started laughing when he realized how ridiculous they were. “Who would have ever thought all those years ago where we would end up?"

"Definitely not me-“

“MENG SHAO FEI WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!”

Shao Fei immediately got off of him and Tang Yi stood, brushing off his suit as he turned to see Shao Fei looking very panicked at a small, middle aged woman who looked ready to kill him. “I’m sorry Captain! I can explain-“

“I would hope so!” she demanded.

Tang Yi cleared his throat, retrieving the dropped ring box, and put it in his pocket. “Hello, Ma’am. I’m-“

“I know who you are,” she cut him off. “If you have to have sex on the floor, go do it somewhere else.” She looked at Shao Fei. “Do not think about trying to get this afternoon off just because your criminal is out of prison a day early. You’re too close to solving this one.” She turned and left and Shao Fei groaned.

Tang Yi smiled at him and slid a hand into his. “It’s okay. I have a lot to do immediately. Just come home to me tonight. I need to go anyways. I’ve got a lot of loose ends to tie up since my incarceration caused some lapses in our ranks. I actually need to locate and re-hire Jack.”

“Even after he betrayed you?” Shao Fei said in surprise.

Tang Yi tilted his head. “A mercenary like that isn’t easy to come by. I can persuade him to be loyal this time after I locate him.”

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s gonna be easy,” Shao Fei said, and Tang Yi rolled his eyes. 

“Come on. I can locate anybody within twenty-four hours,” he stressed.

“No, it won’t be hard to locate him at all,” Shao Fei said, looking amused. “In fact.” He looked down at his watch. “I can locate him in about fifteen seconds.”

Tang Yi frowned. “What? What are you talking about. He can’t still be around here, not with all the hot water he was-“

“Oh wow, Ex-Boss, you’re out already?” Tang Yi turned in surprise to see Jack literally walking into the office. “Has it really been three years?” 

“Jack? What on earth are you doing in a police station voluntarily?” Tang Yi asked in surprise.

Jack waved the bento box in his hand. “Bringing lunch to my husband,” he said, and Tang Yi’s jaw dropped when Jack walked over to Zhao Zi’s desk and greeted him with a kiss. “Here you go, Baby. Chicken today.”

“Wow, you got my favorite!” Zhao Zi said excitedly. “Hey, Jack, guess what! Shao Fei just got engaged to Tang Yi! It was so romantic!”

Jack whistled, looking at the couple. “Damn, congratulations Shao Fei. I’ll have to invite you over for dinner to celebrate soon.”

Tang Yi opened his mouth and then closed it and looked at Shao Fei. “How did that not come up in the last three years?” he asked in confusion.

Shao Fei shrugged. “I wasn’t sure how badly you hated Jack for betraying you. Figured if you didn’t know he was still around, you wouldn’t change your mind and decide to kill him. Zhao Zi is my friend and I like him being happy.”

“You’re too cute,” Tang Yi said fondly. He leaned in to peck his lips. “I need to go. But seriously. Come home tonight?” 

“I wouldn’t go anywhere else,” Shao Fei said, pulling him into a long, hard hug. “Love you.”

“Love you more,” Tang Yi said, then bit his lip and whispered, “Fiancé.” The smile on Shao Fei’s face was worth it all. 

~

Tang Yi could tell Jack wasn’t surprised when he got home and found Tang Yi waiting at the gate. “I knew you would be coming here,” Jack said, opening the gate and leaving it open as he carried a bag of groceries to the door. Tang Yi followed him, leaving his men outside. Jack went to the kitchen and started unloading the groceries, and Tang Yi looked around the house curiously. 

“So. You really live here?” he asked, noticing how domestic and quaint the house seemed. “It’s small.”

Jack shrugged. “I don’t need a lot of space. In fact it’s better this way,” he said with that same old ‘you will never know what I’m thinking’ smirk on his face. “My husband is constantly at my side this way.”

“I have to say, I was surprised by that one,” Tang Yi said, watching him put away groceries. “I’ll get to the point.”

“You want me to come work for you again?” Jack looked at him again. “Sorry, Ex-Boss. Between the cooking and the cleaning and laundry and shopping, I just don’t have time.”

Tang Yi raised an eyebrow. “You’re seriously just a house-husband now? Really? And that makes you happy?”

“It makes me very less likely to be killed and leave Zhao Zi alone and heartbroken,” Jack said more seriously. “I chose him. I continue to choose him. Whether I’m bored or not of what I do all day, I’m never bored when he’s beside me.” He looked at Tang Yi with a look that he recognized well from his own face. “He’s my family. He’s my partner. He’s my best friend. He’s my heart and soul.” Jack shook his head. “I won’t hurt him by returning to a life of crime.”

Tang Yi sighed. “I guess I can understand that.” He shook his head. “But I’m still legitimizing my organization, Jack. I just need someone to spy on people for me and report back.” He tilted his head. “I know what detectives make, Jack. Think of how you could spoil your husband with the kind of money you could get from me.” 

And that’s where Jack paused. Tang Yi could see the way his eyes moved back and forth, looking at the groceries. Tang Yi knew how it felt to surprise the man he loved with nice things. How it felt to make him smile. How it felt to see his happiness. It was better than personal satisfaction. Giving Shao Fei a gift was a gift for himself as well. Jack was looking at their kitchen and Tang Yi could already see him imagining new appliances and nicer foods to cook for him with more money. 

“You’re good,” Jack said finally. He looked over at him calculatingly. “I’ll consider your offer,” he said simply, and Tang Yi knew he had him.

“Good. I’ll expect your reply soon.”

~

Shao Fei had never wanted to get home more in his entire life, and yet it was like everything in the world was stopping him. It was only when he finally got home that his nerves relaxed, and he rushed inside. He turned to the first of Tang Yi’s men when he got inside and asked, “Where’s Tang Yi?”

“The kitchen, Sir,” he answered, and Shao Fei nearly ran there. 

The sight that met him when he arrived caused his heart to stutter and, for some reason, tears to fill his eyes: Tang Yi was preparing ingredients to cook dinner with the most blissful look of joy ever on his face. “Tang Yi,” he breathed, voice weak.

Tang Yi looked up and the smile on his face was blinding. “Welcome home, My Love.”

Shao Fei crossed the kitchen and slammed into him, clinging to him and giving in to the urge to cry. He held him close, sobbing into his chest, hands fisted in the back of his shirt. “Tang Yi,” he whimpered, and Tang Yi just held him close, shushing him. “Fuck, Tang Yi, you’re really home,” he sobbed.

Tang Yi kissed his hair. “I am. I really am,” he said, and his voice sounded barely any better. “You already saw me today, Fei,” he whispered. “Don’t cry now.”

“I was too stunned to cry,” he confessed. He pulled back and looked into the handsome face of his fiancé and whimpered. He raised his hands to frame his face in his hands and just stared. “I’ve spent one thousand, and ninety-five days staring at this stove and missing the sight of you cooking for me,” he whimpered.

A tear streaked Tang Yi’s face and he leaned in, pressing their foreheads together. “I spent twenty-six thousand two hundred and eighty hours waiting for the night I got to make you dinner again.”

Shao Fei sniffled and cleared his throat. “Think you can wait one more?” he asked, the bit his lip. “I’m more hungry for something else I haven’t gotten in three years than food.” Tang Yi laughed wetly, nodding as he met him in a kiss.

They didn’t care who saw them stumbling up the stairs, unwilling to part from each other. If Hong Ye scoffed at them on the way past her office, who cared. They barely made it into their bedroom before clothes started flying. Shao Fei could taste tears in their kisses and he had no idea whose they were. By the time they got naked and in bed, both of them were trembling with need. When Tang Yi slid into him _finally_, Shao Fei shuddered, clinging to him for dear life. “I missed you,” he choked out between moans. “Tang Yi, I missed you so much.”

“I’m here,” he answered, panting. “I’m here and I won’t leave you again.” He moaned hoarsely and Shao Fei felt tears on his neck where Tang Yi’s face was buried. “Fuck, never again. I won’t let anything take me away from my lover. Never again.”

“Tang Yi!” he choked out, and they exchanged no more words, just pants and moans and cries of pleasure until their bodies were wrung out and they lay in a tangled pile of limbs, unwilling to part for anything. 

~

Tang Yi held Shao Fei like he was going to be snatched away. He stroked his hair, kissing his forehead repeatedly. A stray, unwanted thought had planted in his mind and he couldn’t stop being distracted by it. “Shao Fei?” he asked softly.

“Mmmm?”

Tang Yi steeled himself for the truth he didn’t really know if he wanted, because he knew Shao Fei would be honest with him. “Did- did you really wait for me? I won’t blame you if you faltered. I know it wasn’t easy for me to go so long without human touch. Every time I craved sex, I just thought of you and the craving left me.”

“Of course, I waited,” Shao Fei said, lifting his head to look at him. “I never want to touch another person than you, Tang Yi. I’m yours. I was for far longer than I knew I was yours before the first time we kissed.”

Tang Yi sagged with relief. “Thank God. I was going to be so heartbroken if you had slept with someone else because you couldn’t take it anymore,” he confessed. 

Shao Fei laughed and kissed his pout. “Besides. You think I haven’t gone longer without having sex?” Tang Yi raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Tang Yi, literally any free moment I had those four years I was chasing the truth, I was investigating you and trying to work out what happened that night. I genuinely spent _every_ free moment trying to find the truth. I spent four years without sex while single. No, it wasn’t easy after having you for how long I did before you went away, but it was because I wanted you in our bed, not because I wanted to have sex.”

Tang Yi smiled. “I just- I wanted to be held after getting so you used to you holding me,” he admitted. “I never gave in to temptation, but you made me feel human and I missed that touch.”

“I love you so much,” Shao Fei gushed. “I can’t wait to be married to you.”

Tang Yi beamed. “I forgot! In all the commotion, we forgot something!” He pulled out of Shao Fei’s arms, ignoring his whine of annoyance, and went to get the ring out of his coat pocket from earlier. When he came back to bed, he snuggled up to Shao Fei and held out his hand. Shao Fei’s smile brightened and he put his hand in Tang Yi’s. “I can’t wait until I add a wedding ring to this,” he whispered as he slid the ring onto Shao Fei’s finger.

Shao Fei looked at it and his breath hitched. It was a simple silver band with a small row of micro-diamonds in the middle, but to him, it was everything. “I love you so much, Tang Yi.”

Tang Yi kissed his hand. “I love you more than anything, Shao Fei.” 

Dinner ended up being a late-night affair by the time they were done with each other now that the could have this in their lives again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I'm sending the message this whole fic is about smut scenes lmao. I promise there is a serious plot. I just can't resist with these couples and their chemistry.

Jack waited until Zhao Zi was eating before he dropped the big news. “So, Tang Yi asked me to come back and work for him again.”

Zhao Zi actually stopped chewing and Jack felt like shit. “Jack?” He sounded upset. “You know you can’t do that, right? You can’t go back to a life of crime. You’re the husband of a police detective,” he stressed.

Jack nodded. “I know. But he said I’ll just be surveilling people. Keeping an eye on their movements. He said there wouldn’t be any kind of stuff like I used to do. No kidnapping, no hurting people, none of that stuff. Just tailing them and reporting on movements.”

“And how long would it just be that,” Zhao Zi said frankly. 

“I know what you are thinking,” Jack said. “And if you really, truly refuse to let me, I’ll say no.” He sighed. “I just- I get bored,” he confessed. Zhao Zi’s eyes went wide with hurt and he cursed. “Not with you! Never with you!” He reached out for his husband’s hand. “When you’re home, I love my life.” He hesitated. “But I’m by myself all day. I don’t do anything. Maybe it would be nice to work for him again. You know I can’t get a real job with my past.”

Zhao Zi sighed. “Jack…” He hesitated. “If you do this you have to promise you will not get yourself into danger,” he stressed. “And don’t make me arrest my own husband.” He shuddered. “I would die if you got put away like Tang Yi did. I don’t know how Shao Fei didn’t kill himself being without him for so long.”

Jack’s heart lurched. “Don’t talk about dying,” he said, reaching out for both of his husband’s hands. “If you’re that scared I won’t do it.”

Zhao Zi pouted at him. “But it’s not fair for me to hold you back if you’re truly unhappy not doing anything, Jack.” He laced their fingers together. “A marriage is about equal push and pull. Maybe at first you kind of pushed your way into my life, but for a long time, and definitely since we got married, I kind of just… expect you to please me,” he said, sounding guilty. “I expect you to cook for me and clean for me and mend my clothes and bring me food… I guess I never realized that I take advantage.”

“I enjoy it,” Jack urged. “I like taking care of you. You’re my everything and I like knowing you’re well fed and have everything you need. It’s just…” He bit his lip. “It’s getting old. I’m used to action and for a long time I’ve enjoyed a quiet, domestic life. But I think maybe I am getting bored of it. I wasn’t always bored. I just think I could enjoy going back out into the world now that I’m not in as much of a risky position of being labeled an accessory to any crime family’s crimes.” Zhao Zi hung his head and Jack sighed. “If you really don’t want me to-“

“No, I want you to be happy.” Zhao Zi looked at him intensely, reminding him why he was such a brave detective beyond his soft exterior. “Just please stay safe. If you need help call me and I won’t respond as a cop, I’ll respond as a husband with a gun,” he said bluntly. “I just can’t stand the thought of you being hurt. That’s my biggest fear.”

Jack could see the determination in his eyes, and he smirked. “Finish eating your dinner,” he said in a flirtatious tone. “You’re gonna need the energy.”

Zhao Zi’s eyes went dark and he flushed but resumed eating with vigor. Jack just cleaned up while waiting for his husband to finish eating before he took him upstairs and had his way with him, much to their mutual enjoyment. 

~

Hong Ye did not like Jack being back around. Tang Yi could see it in her eyes. “He betrayed us once,” she argued, but he just shook his head.

“He’s a changed person,” he said, greeting Jack as he got up the driveway to the front door. “Hello, Jack.”

“Hello, Not-Ex-Boss,” he said, smiling politely but guardedly. “Remember. If this job offer is a trap, your fiancé won’t like it and my husband, as meek as he seems, would end you all to avenge me.”

Tang Yi snickered. “Trust me, I know.” Hong Ye huffed and stormed off. “Don’t worry. She’ll come around.” He led the way inside, Jack on his heels. “How was your wedding, bye the way? I would have offered my congratulations then but I was, you know, in prison.”

Jack shrugged. “Didn’t have one,” he said simply. “Just went to civil registry and signed the forms. Neither of us have families and his friends didn’t approve so fuck it. Shao Fei signed as our witness though,” he offered.

Tang Yi chuckled. “Do you know he didn’t tell me about that whole relationship because he was worried I would order to have you killed and break his friend’s heart?” He shook his head. “The past is the past. Besides, Zhao Zi seems like the type that, while looking weak, could end someone unexpectedly.”

“Well, he is a detective who loves me and has a gun,” Jack offered. “I don’t even carry a gun. Not my style. But he’s shot people before.”

Tang Yi snickered, imagining little Zhao Zi shooting someone. “I’m going to assume he felt guilty and you found it sexy?”

“Oh, naturally,” Jack offered with a proud puff to his chest. “My husband is the best. Also, if you ever threaten him to control me, I’ll find a way to kill you painfully,” he added without any shame.

Tang Yi shook his head. “Don’t worry. My future-husband would kill me first for hurting his best friend.” When they got to his office, he turned to face Jack. “So you see, whether or not you trust me, or I trust you, I think we can both trust in mutually assured destruction from our better halves if either of us betrays the other.”

Jack seemed to weigh that and nodded. “True. If I hurt you, Shao Fei suffers and kills me, which then makes my husband suffer. If you hurt me, Shao Fei refuses to marry you for hurting his best friend and Zhao Zi kills you.” He tilted his head. “I guess that’s a better reason to stay loyal and for you to keep your word than ever before.”

“Quite,” he said with a cool smile. 

“Then when do I start?” Jack asked simply. 

~

Shao Fei got home and was amazed to see Jack helping Tang Yi cook dinner. “Well when you said you were hiring him back, I thought Jack would be a spy or something, not a sous chef.” Shao Fei walked over to greet Tang Yi with a kiss.

Tang Yi chuckled. “Official work starts tomorrow. I just asked for help since I know he’s good with a knife.”

“Today I get paid in food to take home to my husband,” Jack offered, chopping vegetable deftly. “I won’t have time to cook when I get home and I have to keep my baby well fed.”

Shao Fei chuckled. “I have a feeling criminal or not, Zhao Zi’s grandmother would have approved of you,” he said fondly. “Always feeding her little boy.”

Tang Yi chuckled. “When I had Jack kidnap him that day and got back to see he had released him into my house to cook for him, I should have known that he had a crush.”

“Hey, he was the most adorable hostage I had ever taken,” Jack offered. “He was just so innocent and loyal and I didn’t have the heart to hurt a hair on his head. And when he pouted about being hungry, I just felt compelled to care for him.” He blushed. “I never told anybody, not even him, but the reason I didn’t go along with the betrayal to Boss here was because I would have to go on the run and I was torn. I went to see him and told him if he asked me to stay, I would give it all up and stay with him. And he did,” he said, then shrugged. “I moved into his house the next day to take care of him.”

Tang Yi chuckled. “Who would think. A crime boss and his henchman, both falling in love with police officers who tame them.”

“Tame you my ass,” Shao Fei said with a scoff. “I know damn well you’re still cleaning things up the underhanded way behind my back. I’m just trusting it’s with money and bribes, not with blood.”

“And risk going back to prison?” Tang Yi looked at him doubtfully. “I have a wedding to plan. I have no time for putting out hits and taking out competition.” He sighed. “Not to put you too much at risk of a subpoena, let’s just say our personal wealth is taking the hit to keep the business enterprise clean this time around, just to make sure I don’t get put away for longer than three years for embezzling,” he confessed.

Shao Fei rolled his eyes. “You’re a multi-billionaire. You can stand to lose a few billion and still get along pretty comfortably,” he pointed out. He kissed his cheek. “I need to shower before dinner. I’ll be back.”

As he left, Shao Fei heard Tang Yi talking to Jack. “You’re lucky yours doesn’t expect the lap of luxury. He’s happy with the simple life so you can cut out whenever you please.”

Jack chuckled. “From what I remember, Shao Fei lived a simple life before all this. I’m sure if you really had to run away, he would be happy with his own income. I just can’t imagine YOU feeling comfortable there.”

“Even after prison, you’re not wrong.” Shao Fei chuckled as he went upstairs, listening to his future husband and henchmen and their scheming in the name of love. 

~

Zhao Zi wasn’t used to getting home and finding the house empty, so he decided to use his time waiting on his husband to get home by taking a long, hot bath. It had been a rough day and he didn’t have Jack there to relax him, so a bath would do. As he soaked, he thought about how he had to get used to this. Jack was going to be home late a lot and possibly out all night sometimes. He couldn’t get upset about it, because he did the same thing sometimes. Jack really had put up with so much from him over the years, he thought. He smiled and welcomed very familiar butterflies as he thought about his husband’s patience and love. Jack was never cross with him when he was late. He was never upset with him when he was out all night after a suspect. He could be just as loving and patient for him now that he had a job. 

“You know-“ Zhao Zi startled a little, but left his eyes shut as a very familiar voice continued speaking. “If I was a burglar or a killer, I could have murdered you, you were so deeply in thought.”

Zhao Zi smiled. “Or I know my husband’s footsteps,” he said, sighing when he felt a soft kiss pressed to his forehead. He opened his eyes and saw Jack sitting on the side of the bathtub, looking down at him fondly. “Trust me, I may seem naïve sometimes, but I am a trained police officer with extra training as a detective, Jack. I would have been alerted to the sound of unfamiliar footfall on the stairs.” He wiggled down deeper in the tub and sighed. “I’m not going to get murdered in my bath by some intruder who wants to do bad things to me.”

Jack grinned deviously and braced himself on both sides of the tub, leaning down until his face was right above Zhao Zi’s. “What if I _am_ thinking of doing very bad things to you,” he flirted.

Zhao Zi bit his lip, purposefully putting on his most innocent face. “Oh? What kind of bad things could you possibly want to do to me?” he asked.

“You want a list?” Jack breathed against his lips.

Zhao Zi used the distraction, after checking during his once-over of his handsome husband’s incredible body to be sure he didn’t have his phone or anything that couldn’t get wet, to grab Jack’s shirt and tug, making him lose his balance and fall into the bath. “AH! Ah-An!” he squawked and Zhao Zi laughed at him, as he splashed water everywhere, trying to get twisted around, but Zhao Zi just grabbed his waist and tugged his husband until he sat between his knees, back to Zhao Zi’s chest. “You tricked me!” he pouted over his shoulder.

Zhao Zi slid closer, resting his cheek on Jack’s shoulder, hands straying up to trace Jack’s lovely pectorals over his wet shirt. “Mmmmm. You look good wet, though.”

“What if I had my phone?!”

“I checked you didn’t,” he said, and Jack looked over his shoulder doubtfully. “Honestly, after three years, you still doubt my detective skills, Jack.” He pinched his nipple, making him yelp and swat at his hand. “Besides, I wanted to do bad things to you, too,” he flirted, pressing his grin against Jack’s wet shoulder before he stood up and stepped out of the bath. He grabbed one of their wonderfully fluffy towels and dried himself slowly, making sure to give Jack all his best angles, and then purposefully dropped it on the floor and strutted out of the bathroom. “After dinner, though,” he added, winking over his shoulder.

He heard cursing and bangs from the bathroom as Jack tried to get out of the tub and out of his wet clothes to follow him. 

~

Eating dinner was torture for Jack. Not because he wasn’t hungry of the food he brought home and reheated wasn’t good, but because Zhao Zi, in some fit of seductiveness that very rarely came out but always killed Jack, refused to get dressed to eat dinner. He was wearing just a robe. A very short robe. A very short robe that had one thigh entirely exposed.

When they finished eating and did the dishes, both of them stealing heated glances and not talking, as soon as the last plate was dried and put up, Jack grabbed Zhao Zi and picked him up to sit him on the counter. “Jack-“ He was silenced by a hard, deep kiss that made him moan. 

“You’re my dessert,” Jack growled, untying the robe. He shoved his open, and didn’t bother making him take it off, just let it hang around his hips still half on his arms and ducked down and immediately wrapped his lips around Zhao Zi, who was already half-erect. 

“Jack!” he gasped, moaning. Jack squeezed his thighs and sucked hard and fast, moaning as he bobbed his head because fuck, the feeling of his husband hardening in his mouth was so erotic. Zhao Zi grabbed his hair and moaned, tugging at it intently. Jack didn’t care he might go bald prematurely the way his husband loved pulling his hair during sex, because it meant he was doing well at pleasuring him. The angle he had to bend over was really awkward and it hurt his back a little, but one of his favorite things about Zhao Zi was one of the most amusing, given he was a virgin when they met: Zhao Zi was so horny and hyper-sexual he could usually get him off two or three times when they had sex. Sure enough, it only took a few minutes before Zhao Zi cried out, legs quivering as he came. “JACK!” he shouted in pleasure, hips jerking as he pulsed in Jack’s mouth. 

Jack stood up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smirking at the glassy-eyes and flushed cheeks Zhao Zi was sporting as he caught his breath. “Delicious,” he joked, making a slow of licking his lip, and Zhao Zi groaned.

“God, you’re so dirty,” he said, though he just grabbed Jack’s shirt and tugged him in to kiss him, sighing against his lips as Jack hugged him closer, arms around his lower back.

When they parted, Jack kissed his cheek and leaned in to whisper in his ear, “Not as dirty as what I’m gonna do next,” and without warning pick Zhao Zi up off the counter, put him to his feet, and then spin him around, pinning him against it. 

Zhao Zi gasped in surprise. “Jack, what are you-“ He squeaked as Jack pushed him face down on the counter so he was bent over it. “Jack, there is nothing here in the kitchen for this- Oh!” 

Jack tugged the robe entirely off of him and folded it to use as a cushion as he sunk to his knees. “Yeah, I’m not gonna fuck you here. We can go to bed for that,” he said, and before Zhao Zi could ask him what he meant, he grabbed the perfect, round, perky ass in front of him and buried his face in it. 

Zhao Zi cried out, and his legs shook and Jack felt smug as fuck as he elicited more and more sounds from his trembling, whining husband while eating him out like it was his favorite pass-time. No matter how much Zhao Zi squirmed and begged, he refused to stop and give him what he wanted – to be fucked hard – until his knees gave out from the pleasure. “JACK!” he sobbed out, and just like Jack knew he would, he went weak in the legs and started to slide off the counter. Jack stood up quickly, grabbing him around the middle to catch him. He was gasping and shaking and Jack could see nothing but pupil in his deep brown eyes. He clutched at Jack’s shirt, and Jack just smirked and scooped him up bridal style. “Jack, please.”

“Don’t worry,” he said, feeling like a smug bastard as he carried him up the narrow stairs sideways. “I’m gonna give you want you want, Baby,” he promised. And when they finally got into bed and Jack kept his promise, Zhao Zi clung to him, moaning and crying out so loudly that Jack was glad they had a house, not thin apartment walls around them with how loud Zhao Zi was the whole time Jack made passionate love to him all night long.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a short one!

Shao Fei watched from the doorway as Hong Ye caught Tang Yi up on all of the business ventures she was still trying to get completely legitimate. Much of the legitimizing had to go on hold while Tang Yi was in prison to stop from another group trying to take over Xin Tian Meng in his absence, so there was still a lot to do. When she finished speaking and they were just looking at documents, Shao Fei made his presence known. “So. How long are we going to have to put off the wedding for, do you think?” he asked as he walked in. 

“I’m hoping not too long,” Tang Yi said, looking up at him. “I waited long enough to be married to you already.”

Hong Ye mimed puking. “Gross.” She hummed. “Actually, it might be a good idea to do it sooner than later.” They looked at her in confusion. “Officially showing the world you’re married to a cop might flush out all the sneaky members of our ranks who are dealing under the table, and it will show the other crime bosses that you’re not backing down on legitimizing the entire group. Also it shows that we have legitimate connections to above board law enforcement, not just dirty cops on the payroll-“

“La la la la la I’m not hearing this,” Shao Fei said, putting his hands over his ears. “You cannot talk about dirty cops around me!”

“And for it to be one with connection to Interpol, it shows we have the ability to actually get them caught in their crimes,” she continued. “Shao Fei officially marrying you might actually be the leverage we need to get things done quicker.”

Tang Yi hesitated, looking at Shao Fei. “But I don’t want to risk it putting a target on his head,” he said, and Shao Fei saw the fear in Tang Yi’s eyes. “Marriage will be public. They will know he’s the perfect way to hurt me.”

“Ah-Yi,” Shao Fei said gently. He walked over to him and slid his arms around his shoulders, kissing him chastely. “I’m sorry to tell you, but I’m already a target,” he said plainly. “Everybody knows we’re together. I’m sure every criminal ring in the country knows after I visited you in public visitation rooms every week while you were in prison.” He shook his head. “Nobody with the devotion to wait for you for three years would be someone you don’t care deeply about. Trust me, I’m pretty sure you being locked up is all that kept me safe so far anyways,” he said, and Tang Yi’s expression became so, so fragile and he hugged him close, burying his face in Shao Fei’s shoulder as he hugged him tightly. 

“Don’t say that, Ah-Fei. Please.”

“It’s just true,” he said, shushing him with a gentle kiss to the shoulder. “I’ve been tailed twice since you’ve been out,” he confessed.

“What?!” Tang Yi jerked back, looking at him in fear. “Why didn’t you say anything?!”

“Both times I lost the tail and I can’t know it’s about you, not about cases I’m working on,” he defended. “Tang Yi, don’t freak out, okay? I knew what I was getting into when I fell for you!”

“But I’m not okay with that!” Tang Yi said urgently. He reached up and held Shao Fei’s face in his hands. “You’re my everything.”

“Wow, still right here, Tang Yi,” Hong Ye said in annoyance.

Shao Fei chuckled and kissed Tang Yi quickly before backing away. “I promise to look after myself, Tang Yi. I carry a gun, too, you know,” he reminded him. 

Tang Yi huffed and faced Hong Ye. “Have an order sent to Garrison. I want a casual jacket, not the full suit, because I’ll never talk him into wearing a full suit to work.”

Hong Ye nodded. “Sure. Not a problem. Just send me his measurements.”

Shao Fei frowned. “What’s Garrison?”

“Bulletproof suit makers,” Hong Ye explained as she made a note on her tablet. “Tang Yi has two but he rarely ever wears them because they’re heavy and hot-“

“And not our tailor shop,” Tang Yi stressed. “I wear our brand because it is tacky to not.”

“There are entire suits that are bulletproof?” Shao Fei asked incredulously. “That’s not just out of the John Wick movie?”

“You’re cute,” Hong Ye cooed. “Yes, they’re real. You are still such a civilian.”

“I’m literally not a civilian, I’m a police officer,” he pointed out. 

“Still not in the crime business,” she said dismissively.

Shao Fei rolled his eyes and reached out for Tang Yi’s hand. “Anyways, if you’re at a good stopping point here, it’s time to go to bed.”

Tang Yi frowned, checking his watch. “It’s only seven pm.”

Shao Fei smirked and tugged him closer. “And who said anything about sleeping?”

Hong Ye really mimed gagging at them as Tang Yi unhesitantly followed Shao Fei with an eager nod and no words at all. 

~

“We’re too old to be like this,” Tang Yi joked as they stripped each other on the way to bed. “Nobody in their thirties should be having sex multiple times a day every single day. We’re going to throw out our backs.”

“Psh, we’re young, healthy men,” Shao Fei argued, tugging Tang Yi in to kiss him soundly. “Besides, we have three years to make up for still. It’s only been a month since I got you back.”

Tang Yi snickered, the laugh turning into a sigh when Shao Fei pushed his pants off and grabbed his cock to stroke him to hardness. “Mmmmm, true,” he said, pulling Shao Fei closer so he could nose at his jaw, kissing as he went. “We’re doing this relationship backwards,” he whispered against his throat as he kissed it. “We barely dated before we were in love, only had a handful of nights together because of all the drama going on- unnng,” he grunted, biting his lip. He exhaled hard. “Now we’re getting a honeymoon phase after three and a half years together.”

“Mmmm, sounds right,” Shao Fei said, pulling back and tugging Tang Yi along to the bed as he fell back onto it. He smiled up at Tang Yi, who wasted no time crawling over him and kissing him deeply. “I love you,” he slurred between kisses, and Tang Yi stroked his hip and side tenderly.

“I love you, too.” He smirked and kissed Shao Fei’s jaw. “And now I’m going to suck your cock,” he said, and then ducked down under the covers. Shao Fei laughed at his straightforwardness, only to have that laugh turn into a moan as his fiancé did exactly what he said.

~

Hong Ye and Shao Fei butted heads all the time, but when it came to his wedding, he was _not_ letting her run away with the planning. “No,” he said firmly, tugging the photo book with ideas for themes in it back from her. “I did not interfere with your wedding planning, Bitch, I am not letting you interfere with mine!”

“But you’re such a man!” she argued, grabbing the photo book back from him. “A wedding needs a woman’s touch!”

“It’s a wedding between two men, no it doesn’t!” Shao Fei argued. “I’m getting married to the love of my life, I will not let my sister-in-law steamroll me! I waited a long time for this and I will have the perfect wedding!”

“But you’ll ruin it!” Hong Ye argued. “You have the most tragic taste in everything!”

“And you have the bossiest attitude I’ve ever encountered!” he snapped, then snatched the book back once and for all, holding it high above his head so she couldn’t read it if she tried. 

“Darling, please don’t bicker with Brother Tang’s fiancé,” Dao Yi said, sighing and rolling his eyes after watching the two of them bicker like children for so long. 

“Yes, ‘darling’, listen to your wife,” he said to Hong Ye.

“Stop calling him my wife! Just because I’m also his boss doesn’t make him a woman!”

“Then stop calling me your sister-in-law!” he countered, then turned and stormed off to purchase the book they had decided on, grumbling under his breath as he went. He heard Dao Yi telling her to calm down and he thanked the heavens that Hong Ye fell in love with a man who could calm her temper, because he sure as hell couldn’t have put up with her. 

Shao Fei chose to leave them behind and just walk around to cool his head. He could take a taxi to get home when he was calmed down. He was getting stressed about the wedding and they had only just begun contemplating the planning. Tang Yi was insistent they plan it themselves instead of hire a wedding planner, and Shao Fei was the one who had to do the brunt of the work since Tang Yi was still very busy catching up on all the dealings around him after so long away. Shao Fei had a lot of work going on, too, but he at least wasn’t the leader of his group. 

They had actually offered him the position of Captain when all the dust settled from Third Division’s investigation into corruption and clearing house from the scandal the former Captain caused. In the end, they lost so much so quickly that he felt he needed to stay as the senior member of the team, not take the role as Captain. He needed to be in the streets, hunting down criminals, not calling the shots and negotiating with other divisions. He had a lot of cases that were backlogged because of the turnover and the new recruits weren’t cut out for dealing with it all on their own. Yu Qi, Jun Wei, Zhao Zi, and himself were all swamped with training new recruits and trying to continue to do their job as well to keep the people of the city safe and catch those who committed crimes. 

Their latest case was a tough one. Something was happening to sex workers. They were going missing every single night. The biggest fear was human trafficking, because if a major gang was moving in and snatching men and women and even teens off the streets and selling them to god knows who to suffer god knows what inhumanity, they had to tackle the threat immediately. Prostitution brought big money but selling people as sex slaves was a much higher dollar trade than just simple prostitution. 

Shao Fei was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t realize he was being followed until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, and immediately a black bag was pulled over his head that smelled strange, and in moments, his head felt fuzzy and he faced to unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot really gets rolling after so many chapters of sex and fluff!

As Tang Yi paced in front of his desk, Hong Ye felt nothing but guilt. “I’m so sorry. We were arguing about nothing. Just bickering like we always do. He stormed off without us and I didn’t-“ She stopped, a hand covering her mouth. She truly did care for Shao Fei. He was family after all these years. They just fought like any brother and sister could. 

She and Dao Yi had gotten home just in time to learn that nobody could locate Shao Fei. He hadn’t come home, he didn’t go in to work after the shopping trip like he was supposed to, and nobody’s calls got through to him. His Captain was furious, thinking he had run off on another wild goose chase, but Zhao Zi managed to convince her Shao Fei always let him in on those plans. Currently, everybody was waiting impatiently while Zhao Zi sat at Tang Yi’s desk, trying to track Shao Fei by his phone. 

“I’ve tried GPS, I’ve tried calling and triangulating the signal, everything,” he said, sounding more and more upset. “Tang Yi, we’re working on a really bad case. What if it’s not even related to you?” he asked, looking up at him. Hong Ye rarely saw sincerity instead of naivety in that one, but he was very serious right now.

“What kind of case?” she asked, trying to distract herself.

“Possible human trafficking,” he said gravely. “Something is making sex workers disappear every single night. Every night for weeks. We’re doing all we can to find who is behind it but it’s turned into having to send people in under cover in red light districts to just try and protect the prostitutes from whatever is happening to them. It’s really bad.”

Hong Ye looked at Tang Yi immediately. “Human trafficking is gang activity.” She looked at Zhao Zi. “Where are these sex workers going missing? Show me.” She put her tablet in front of him and opened a map.

He hummed and circled a few areas. “Mostly around the clubbing districts and in this seedy crime-ridden area here where there are a lot of brothels,” he explained.

Tang Yi leaned over the tablet and his nostrils flared for the same reason Hong Ye felt a rush of annoyance. “I don’t know about the last one, but all of those clubs are ours or under our control through business deals and allies.” 

Hong Ye grabbed the tablet and zoomed in on the area of twelve blocks where a lot of bars and clubs were, a real night life area. “This entire strip is ours. We manage them or we have deals with them. We acquired all of this to stop the drug trade,” she explained to Zhao Zi. “If we run the clubs, we control who deals drugs in them. If girls are going missing from our clubs or the area around them, this is something we have to deal with.”

“Hang on,” he said, standing up quickly. “You cannot interfere with a police investigation. I don’t care who the clubs are controlled by, we’ve been working our asses off on this-“

“Zhao Zi,” Jack said, having kept quiet all along. “Don’t get involved in this,” he pleaded. 

“I did not go undercover the other night as a goddamn stripper and get groped by disgusting drunk men and still have a teenage girl go missing that same night just to let it go!” Zhao Zi argued, and Jack looked shocked.

“You said you were working late!”

“I was!” he argued.

Hong Ye groaned. “Enough! Marital issues can be dealt with outside,” she said bluntly. 

Tang Yi took a deep breath and let it out. “Jack.” 

Jack stopped glaring at his husband and turned to him. “Yes, Boss?”

“I need you to discreetly find out where my husband is,” he said, then looked him in the eyes. “No violence. No names. I want you to be invisible.”

“Got it,” he said, leaving without another word, butterfly knife already in his hand in spite of Tang Yi’s orders. 

Hong Ye sighed. “I’m going to make some calls. You and Zhao Zi keep a search out for his phone,” she instructed, and Tang Yi nodded, walking around the desk to sit in a chair behind Zhao Zi, both of them going straight back to the computer. 

~

The longer Shao Fei was missing, the worse Tang Yi’s horrific thoughts became. What if he was kidnapped? What if he had been killed? What if his beloved was dumped dead in a pond somewhere. Tang Yi had taken to pulling his own hair, fighting to catch his breath. 

“Um. Tang Yi?” Zhao Zi said hesitantly. “We’re gonna find him, you know?”

“I don’t know,” Tang Yi choked out. “I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever loved other than Hong Ye. What’s to say this isn’t just- just life taking someone else from me? What if he’s dead?”

“Whoa, don’t jump straight to dead!” Zhao Zi said, and Tang Yi looked up at him. “Listen, Shao Fei is tough. Ah-Fei isn’t gonna go down without a fight. Look at how many times he’s survived over the years? Come on,” he comforted, still typing. “Besides, my grandma always said Shao Fei had a strong life-line. He’s only in his thirties. He’s not gonna die in his thirties according to Grandma and Grandma was always right,” he said simply.

Tang Yi shook his head, chuckling. Zhao Zi still, after all these years, made zero sense. He had seen him pull a gun on people before and yet he was so naïve sometimes. He had a lot of respect for Jack for dealing with such an eccentric partner. He actually decided to ask. “Hey, Zhao Zi?”

“Yes?” he asked innocently.

“You talk about your grandmother a lot,” he started with. “Do you think she would have approved of Jack?” he asked.

Zhao Zi hummed. “I think so. She wouldn’t be happy with his past, but Grandma always said that people can change and you should never refuse to let them try. She’s part of why I wanted to be a police officer,” he said brightly. “I mean the money and perks was a big part, since I wasn’t really good at anything else, but Shao Fei and I both became friends at the academy because we were the only two in the class that answered the same on a paper about reform versus punishment. We believe in justice for those wronged, but we also don’t think it’s right to just throw someone in jail and forget them. Nobody is truly a bad person, they’re just people who made bad choices. Look at our former captain,” he said, looking pained. “He did something very bad. He did something that destroyed lives. But he did it because his daughter was dying and he needed money.” Tang Yi’s eyes widened because Shao Fei never told him that. 

“He regretted all the pain he caused, and he’ll be in jail for years still for having a part in the death of a police officer,” he said with a sad pout. “But he didn’t do it because he’s bad. He did it because he thought it was the only way to save his daughter,” he said firmly. “If he had tried to get money through charity he could have gotten it, I’m sure the whole division would have given him money to save his child’s life, but he saw an easy way and made a bad choice.” Zhao Zi shrugged. “Jack isn’t a bad person. He’s actually very kind and sincere and a good husband. He just made a lot of bad choices. Some of them I told him to never let me find out about because I don’t want to confirm what I’m sure is true, but who he is now isn’t who he used to be.” He nodded. “So yes, I think she would have approved. He’s only ever taken care of me, and she would be happy I have someone I love who takes care of me.”

Tang Yi was so amused but also very humbled by what Zhao Zi said. He knew Shao Fei felt that same way about him, though he had never killed a man the way Jack had. “What about the fact you’re married to a man?” he asked.

Zhao Zi smiled and shook his head. “I doubt she would care. In fact, she would probably be happy for me that the first person I ever kissed ended up being the love of my life.”

Tang Yi snorted and slapped a hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you,” he said, then bit back a grin. “But really? Jack’s the only person you’ve ever kissed?”

Zhao Zi nodded. “Yep. Kinda proud of myself. I may not look like it, but a lot of people have asked me out before,” he said, and Tang Yi could understand. Zhao Zi was too innocent looking for him, but he had a very cute face. “But I was always too busy and didn’t really like them back, so I never went out with anybody. The job of a police officer is very demanding.” He sighed. “I wish I had more time to be home with my Dian Dian. I guess that’s why he wanted to come back to work for you.” He pointed a finger at him warningly. “You better be serious about not wanting him to hurt people again. If I have to arrest my own husband, not even Ah-Fei could protect you,” he warned.

Tang Yi was so amused. “You really mean that, don’t you?” Tang Yi started to sit when Zhao Zi really shocked him.

“It unfortunately wouldn’t be the first time I killed someone.” 

Tang Yi missed his chair and fell on the floor instead.

~

When Shao Fei woke up, he was alone. He wasn’t even tied up. He still even had his gun and wallet. He looked around what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse and saw absolutely nobody. He slowly pushed himself into a seated position and gasped when he felt pain to his abdomen. He put his hand there and cried out in shock when he felt and saw blood soaking his shirt. He quickly pulled his shirt up, only to tilt his head in confusion at the scratches that were bleeding but seemed superficial. He leaned back some and his blood ran cold.

Someone had edged words into his skin. He scrambled to his feet and made it over to a nearby puddle and looked at his reflection. Even as his head swam, he could make out the words through the puddles slight ripples.

**THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING**

“Fuck,” he gasped, horrified. He staggered towards the exit, because the sedative was still wearing off, and when he got outside, he realized he was nowhere near where he was taken from. He had no phone so he had to just walk. They had made sure he was entirely untraceable, whoever it was. By the time he made it through allies and abandoned parking lots to a street, he was more clear headed but in serious pain. Even if the cuts weren’t deep, they stung like fuck. 

He stumbled off the curb and was lucky the car coming slammed on the brakes and stopped. When the driver got out, he took one look at Shao Fei before going pale. “Oh fuck, are you okay?!”

Shao Fei pulled out his wallet and opened to his badge. “I- I’m a police officer. Please. I- I need to get to- to a hospital.”

“Fuck, yeah, sure!” he said, rushing to help Shao Fei stumble to his car. “Here, there’s some laundry in the back, get a towel for that wound,” he said, and Shao Fei fell into the backseat, curling up with a towel pressed to his abdomen. “Just hang on, Officer. I’m sure you’re gonna be just fine.”

~

When he got the call, Tang Yi wasted no time ordering a driver to get his car and take him to the hospital. Zhao Zi insisted he come with him since Jack was the one to call. By the time they got to the hospital, Tang Yi was so upset he was ready to kill someone with his bare hands, promises to not do that or not. 

Someone had drugged and kidnapped his husband who was now admitted to a hospital. 

Jack reassured them over the phone that he was fine, but refused to tell them what happened. He just said, ‘you will need to see for yourself’. It was nerve-wracking, Tang Yi just kept picturing his fiancé with bruises on his face or rope burns on his wrist. He couldn’t imagine what horrors might have been inflicted up on his baby. His Shao Fei. His most beloved. He didn’t even realize he was shaking until Zhao Zi asked him if he was alright. “No,” he said in a clipped tone. “I won’t be until I see him.”

Getting to the hospital was the longest journey of his life. He rushed to the receptionist and demanded to see his fiancé. When they allowed him to go see Shao Fei, he ran there, Zhao Zi having to sprint to keep up with him. When they got to the room that Jack was outside of, he just shook his head at him. Tang Yi’s heart stopped. “What do you mean?” he asked breathlessly.

Jack cringed. “Not that. I just mean…” He sighed. “You’re going to want blood and I won’t be the one to get it for you. Also you will really go to prison forever if you do what I’d want to do when I see it.”

“Fuck,” Tang Yi said, shoving him out of the way. He left Zhao Zi to talk with him and shoved his way into the room. When he rounded the corner, he stopped short and frowned. “Are you… totally okay?” he asked, looking at an unblemished Shao Fei.

Shao Fei looked up at him and winced as he sat up. “Not really.” He held out his hand and Tang Yi crossed to him instantly. “I’m going to need you to promise not to freak out and promise to pay to have the scares lasered off when it’s done healing.”

Tang Yi’s blood boiled. “What did they do to you?”

Shao Fei bit his lip. “I- I had them take a picture before bandaging it as evidence.” He picked up his phone from the side table and held it out to Tang Yi. “But before you freak out, I’m fine. I was drugged and then just left. They didn’t even take my gun. They were sending a warning, though I’m not sure if it’s to me or to you.”

Tang Yi opened the phone and brought up the camera roll, only to have rage fill him at the sight of _words_ carved into his fiancé’s stomach. “I’ll kill them all,” he growled, and tears filled his eyes. “Fuck! Who the fuck hurt you like that?!” He looked at him, whimpering. “Shao Fei, it’s almost surely my fault! Someone doesn’t want- want me to legitimize and- and-“

“Shhhhh,” Shao Fei soothed, grabbing his face in his hands. “Calm down. I’m working a really fucked up case right now,” he said gently. “It might be that.”

“The human trafficking?” he asked, and Shao Fei nodded.

“I guess Zhao Zi told you.” He shook his head. “We don’t know who this is aimed at, you or me. But I’m going to look into it. I’m sure there are cameras somewhere along the way that caught sight of my abduction.”

Tang Yi pulled him into his arms and cried silently into his shoulder. “It will be weeks before those cuts heal enough to have the scars lasered,” he whimpered. “It will taunt me constantly when you come out of the shower or when we’re in bed together. Anything could have been done to you, even if they didn’t. They could have killed you. They could have taken you away from me.” He sniffled. “If it’s aimed at me, they know exactly what they’re doing. I didn’t keep the most precious part of my life safe.”

“I’m a cop,” he said gently. “I know you want to protect me,” Shao Fei soothed. “But right now I’m looking into a case where dozens of young women and young men have gone missing. They might be dead. They might be some sick bastards’ slaves. My safety is at risk because a monster is doing something horrific.” He pulled back and met Tang Yi’s eyes. “What if it was Hong Ye when you guys were on the streets as children? No, these girls aren’t that young, but you know some sick fuckers would absolutely sell little girls like they most likely are these people. The other night, the girl to go missing was only sixteen,” he stressed. “Somewhere, there is most likely a sixteen-year-old girl either dead or being raped.” Tang Yi flinched at the horrible thought. “Yes, I’m a good target to hurt you, but I suspect more than anything I’m getting close to finding the monsters who are behind this. I’m trying to rescue her and all the others that have gone missing. And if they’re dead, I’m trying to bring their killers to justice. I’m not just your fiancé,” he reminded him. “I’m a senior detective with the police department.”

Tang Yi nodded. “Maybe it is your case, not me. But either way, I feel guilty. You went missing and I- I wasn’t there to protect you.”

Shao Fei stroked his cheek. “You can’t protect me all the time.” He kissed him sweetly and Tang Yi soaked it in, holding him gently to not jostle his injuries.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a long one so ENJOY!

It only took two days for Jack to find the two men who took Shao Fei. It was harder to bring them in together without doing things his husband forbid him from doing, so when Tang Yi found him standing at the door with just one guy slung over his shoulder, hands and feet bound together and mouth gagged, he shrugged. “Who knew it was hard to hog tie two men when you’re not allowed to shoot them in the knees first.”

Tang Yi chuckled and stepped aside. “So are you saying you’re not going to help me interrogate him?”

“I’ll help, but I’m not hurting him,” he said, taking him to throw him on the floor in the storage room. “I actually didn’t mean to knock him out,” he admitted sheepishly. “I swung around and his head slammed into a wall.”

“Ow,” Tang Yi said flatly. He looked down at the unconscious man on his floor and felt a flicker of rage. He couldn’t kill him or even beat him within an inch of his life now that it would risk his probation and send him back to prison, away from his Shao Fei. 

“So. What do we do with him?” Jack asked. “Do we just… talk to him?”

“I guess?” Tang Yi said, frowning. “I’m not sure how it works when you don’t beat it out of them.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Jack said, humming. “We could ask Shao Fei? He’s a cop. I’m sure he’s interrogated people before.”

Tang Yi snorted. “His method of interrogation is to stalk you for four years until you fall in love with him, so I’m not sure that’s a good plan,” he said with a fond smile.

“Boss being sappy. That’s not something I missed,” Jack said, then picked up his phone. “I’ll call him and see what he suggests.”

“Just don’t tell him you knocked him out by accident, I’ll just claim he hit the floor hard if he’s not awake soon,” Tang Yi said, and Jack nodded, already dialing.

~

Shao Fei’s answer was to show up unannounced and demand to see the person they caught. “I’m a cop, I can interrogate him,” he said, then pointed at Tang Yi. “Without brass knuckles,” he warned.

Tang Yi sighed. “I don’t even have them anymore. I really, really don’t want to go to prison again.”

“Good,” Shao Fei said mockingly. “I’ll try first and if he doesn’t talk, we’ll untie him and call Zhao Zi in.”

“What?” Jack looked at him with a cold look. “You want to put my husband in a room with a man who isn’t even tied up?”

“It lulls them into a false sense of trust,” Shao Fei explained. “And you really need to stop underestimating him, Jack. Your marriage must be full of issues if you keep treating him like he’s not a cop.”

“I love him,” Jack said coldly. “I know he’s a cop and I know he goes into dangerous situations, but half the time I’m tailing him to keep an eye on him when I know he’s doing dangerous missions.”

“What?!” Shao Fei asked in shock. 

“I didn’t know he was doing the undercover thing or you bet your ass I would have been in the audience at that strip club,” he said sternly. “I don’t doubt his abilities, I just-“ He swallowed visibly and let out a long breath, calming down. “He is my everything, Ah-Fei. I have nothing in this world but him. You can’t ask me to not treat him like porcelain when I would die if anything happened to him.”

Shao Fei sighed. “Jack. I understand. But you do realize that’s not healthy, right?”

“Is this really the time for this?” Tang Yi asked pointedly. “Besides, Zhao Zi mentioned he’s killed more people than I have and I’m a crime boss, so I think he can hold his own.”

Jack looked shocked. “He’s killed someone before?!”

Shao Fei sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Yes. He did. Two people. He doesn’t talk about it, but there was a domestic incident before we were detectives. A woman was holding her baby and had doused herself in kerosene and was threatening to light the lighter in her hand because her husband cheated on her. When she raised her hand, Zhao Zi had no choice, he shot her. Then her husband lost his shit and came after us and he had to shoot him, too.” He shook his head. “It upset him a lot but he said his only real regret was that when the woman fell on the baby, it broke it’s leg. We’re cops. He had to do what he had to do.”

“Fuck.” Even Tang Yi was stunned. “He fired at a woman holding a child? I know he’s competent but I would think even he wouldn’t be that bold.”  
“Fuck.”

Shao Fei shrugged. “She was about to light herself and the baby on fire. And we had to be good shots to be given a gun in the first place. I’ve never killed anybody, but most of us have shot someone before.” He snorted. “I’m the only one that’s been shot in our division though. Funny that neither time I was working.”

Tang Yi felt a pang of guilt. “Can we please not talk about that?”

“What, about you shooting me?” he asked jokingly but stopped when he saw the look on Tang Yi’s face. “Sorry. Okay. I’m going it,” he decided, heading into the room where the guy was tied up.

Jack looked at Tang Yi, who looked torn. “Yeah, he’s tied up and you shot yours once before and you’re that anxious. Surely you can understand my situation,” he said bluntly.

“Jack. Just stop.” Tang Yi started to pace. “You couldn’t imagine what I felt shooting him,” he stressed. “In that moment, I felt weak, and I tried to kill someone,” he stressed. “That’s been your job, but I’ve never done it. And when I tried, the man I love more than anything jumped in front of my gun. I wanted to die,” he stressed. “I actually had a plea bargain for only one year,” he said, and Jack looked at him in shock. “I took the one for three years in the event I offered no information but plead guilty because I hurt the love of my life. I deserved punishment,” he stressed. “I know you’re a changed man now, but I know your past. Special forces in the military turned mercenary.” He shook his head. “But unlike you, I’ve never killed anybody. And when I tried, I hurt the love of my life. Imagine it,” he stressed, and Jack paled. “I don’t want anything to happen to your husband, but at this point, I feel he’s more capable than any of us give him credit for if my fiancé fails.”

Jack huffed. “Fuck. You’re probably right,” he said heavily. “Even after almost three years married, I still am confused by him,” he confessed. “Zhao Zi has a past, but he never reveals it. He’s both naïve but very competent. I have no fucking clue what happened to his parents,” he confessed. “He hates talking about any thing but his grandmother and his time in the academy. At some point he had to be a gymnast but he’s never mentioned it. He seems so innocent and naïve but I have no clue honestly. I just-“ He sighed. “I love him too much to risk questioning him and upsetting him. Stupid, right?”

Tang Fe chuckled because he absolutely understood. “Love is a strange thing, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely.”

~

Two hours later, Shao Fei came out and shook his head. “Gotta call in the big gun,” he said, and then dialed a number. “Zhao Zi, are you finished at work? Good. Can you come by Tang Yi’s place? I need your special skills.”

He hung up and smirked. “Just watch. It’s insane.”

~

Jack, Shao Fei, and Tang Yi all stood outside the room Shao Fei’s kidnapper was in, listening in horror to the sobs and wondering how the fuck (at least on Tang Yi and Jack’s parts) Zhao Zi was getting such responses from the kidnapper.

In the end, Zhao Zi came out without a scratch on him in spite of the untied kidnapper and he shook his head, looking through his notebook. “That poor man had a horrible childhood,” he said, pouting as he flipped another page. “But it turns out it is related to our case, Shao Fei. Also tragically, he gave me the location for two body dumps,” he said, looking heartbroken as he looked up at him. “One is a seventeen-year-old boy, the other a twenty-six-year-old woman. Both of them fought the abduction and they killed them,” he said gravely.

“Fuck,” Shao Fei said heavily, hanging his head. “Let’s inform the Chief immediately. Did he say their names so we can find next of kin?”

“No, he didn’t know,” Zhao Zi said. “He didn’t do it, he was just present for the body dumps. He’s willing to take police to the bodies for a plea bargain since all he did was kidnap you and be present for those body dumps, otherwise he wasn’t involved in the killings.”

“Good,” Shao Fei said, sighing in relief. “They can easily get his sentence down to ten years if he gives all the information. And I happen to know a crime lord who can protect him on the inside if he gives the names of those who kidnapped me,” he said, looking over at Tang Yi. “I’m sure there is protection on the inside, right?”

Tang Yi looked annoyed but sighed. “If it leads to ending whatever crime spree is in my territory, I guess.” He looked at Zhao Zi. “How did you get all of this information so easily?”

“Tried and true method,” Shao Fei offered. “Grandma.”

Zhao Zi nodded. “Amazingly, if I tell criminals my story and how my grandma took care of me and then ask them to think about their grandma and what she would think about their choices in life, they spill their guts. There’s a lot of crying, which is why it takes so long,” he added. “Its weird. But it works. I guess even if your parents suck, most people have good grandmas.”

“He tried it on me in the academy,” Shao Fei offered. “And this was before his grandma passed. And I had great parents who just sadly had me late in life. No trauma involved. And I LOST IT!,” he stressed. “My parents were still alive then! They passed since but fuck! Remembering my old as fuck grandmother and wondering what she would think of me at twenty-three and kind of ambitious and carefree, it fucked me up! I ended up calling my mom to reassure me that Grandma would have still loved me.”

Zhao Zi smiled. “My Grandma taught me well about humans and how to reach them,” he said proudly. He pouted. “I’m just glad she had already gone when I had to shoot those people. I still feel bad for that. Not because I protected a baby and myself, but because I had to orphan a child like I was.” He sighed heavily. “Jack, I think we should talk. I never told you all of this and I feel bad for keeping it all quiet but it’s very sad so I wanted to spare you,” he said looking at his husband.

Jack instantly went to hug him. “You can tell me whatever you need to say or don’t need to say. Come on. We did our part here. Let’s go home,” he said, mouthing ‘thank you’ to Shao Fei over his head as he walked Jack out of the house, arms around him tightly. 

~

“That Zhao Zi is a very confusing character,” Tang Yi said as he toweled his hair, coming from showering. “You guys are lucky to have that one. He seems like a naïve child but he’s really skilled.”

Shao Fei chuckled from where he lay on the bed. “Yeah, he is. He’s amazing at tech stuff. Can hack into anything. He found out Jack’s birthday by hacking the military backlogs,” he said, and Tang Yi looked at him blankly. “True story.”

“That is… impressive.” He shook his head. “How is he that good at interrogation? I know he uses his sob story but wow.”

Shao Fei held his arms up and Tang Yi climbed onto the bed, careful to not touch Shao Fei’s still tender stomach as he lay his head on his shoulder. “He looks so innocent. He seems like a poor kid. And it’s a tough sob story,” he admitted. “Without giving away too much of his past, his parents died when he was a child and his grandmother was all he had in the world. And when she started getting too old to work, he gave up his dream of being a gymnast and decided to join the police academy because it was a job with good perks and steady pay.”

“I did wonder why he decided a good way to think about solutions was to do a handstand in the middle the office,” Tang Yi said. “Damn, no wonder Jack is so whipped,” he joked and Shao Fei smacked him on the shoulder with a groan.

“Gross, don’t make me think about Zhao Zi having _sex_,” he stressed, grimacing. “It’s bad enough knowing he’s a married man so he’s definitely doing it.” 

Tang Yi chuckled, only to stop when he accidentally pictured Jack fucking his husband. “Ewwww, he looks so young and innocent,” he whined. “Gross, Shao Fei, why didn’t you stop me from thinking that?!”

Shao Fei rolled his eyes and Tang Yi just pouted more. “Ah Yi,” he sighed, stroking his hair. “You’re too much.” 

Tang Yi looked down at Shao Fei’s tee shirt and his heart sank. “Does it hurt?” he asked, gently touching the bandage through his tee-shirt.

“Not much,” Shao Fei said, and Tang Yi kissed his fingertips and then touched his wounded stomach again. 

“I hate it,” Tang Yi muttered. “You can’t get hurt anymore. I won’t allow it.”

Shao Fei stroked his hair gently. “You know that’s not possible, Love.”

“I can try,” Tang Yi said, looking up at him. “I can’t live without you, Ah Fei. I can’t.” He stroked his chest. “My heart is in here. Your heart is my heart. If I lost you, it would kill me.”

Shao Fei hugged him closer and he nuzzled into his neck. Hugging Shao Fei was the most comfort he had ever felt in his life. He wanted to wrap him up in his arms and keep him safe with him at all times. He hated that Shao Fei was in danger all the time. All those years having him in his life in any capacity, it was unthinkable to imagine a world without him. Meng Shao Fei belonged in any world that Tang Yi existed in. Any life before or any life after, however they were reincarnated in any universe, Tang Yi belonged to Meng Shao Fei and he belonged to Tang Yi. 

“Do you believe in destiny?” When Shao Fei spoke, Tang Yi could only smile because it would seem they were thinking along the same lines.

“I was literally just thinking that in any life in any universe, you and I were supposed to be together,” Tang Yi said brightly. He looked up at his beautiful fiancé and saw his favorite, soft, tender smile looking back at him.

“Seriously?”

“Yes,” he said, laughing. He surged up and was met with a sweet kiss from Shao Fei. “I love you so much.”

“I can’t believe seven years ago, I thought I was gonna find a way to put you in prison,” Shao Fei said softly.

Tang Yi snickered. “Well, you kind of did, my love.”

“Eurgh, don’t say it like that,” Shao Fei said with a pout. “Ah Yi, you’re so mean to me.”

“No I’m not,” he argued. “I’ve never been mean to you.”

Shao Fei snickered and shook his head. “We’re ridiculous.” He kissed him gently and Tang Yi basked in how much Shao Fei loved him. “We should sleep.”

“Three more kisses,” Tang Yi demanded playfully instead, earning a sleepy smile from the man he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

“Only three,” he agreed, meeting his lips to kiss him again. 

They lost track of how many more kisses there were before either of them drifted off, but it was definitely more than three. 

~

Jack waited patiently as Zhao Zi paced around their bedroom, clearly trying to think of how to say what he wanted to say. “An An, there’s no rush. You don’t have to talk about it tonight if you aren’t ready. I’ve waited three years to learn more about you. I know you wish you knew more about me. I don’t mind not knowing.”

Zhao Zi stopped and looked at him before walking over to crawl onto the bed. He sat with his knees to his chest, looking at Jack from beside him. “My parents died when I was only three. I don’t really remember them.” Jack’s heart ached for him. “Grandma was the only family I had. It was hard,” he said softly, picking at a hole in his pajama sleeve that Jack would have to remember to mend later. “Grandma was amazing but having other kids always picking on me because I didn’t have parents was hard. They acted like I was weird because of something bad that happened to me. It was terrible.” Jack fought the urge to pull him into his arms because it was clear that Zhao Zi didn’t want to be touched right now from his body language. “And it didn’t help I was so little. I’ve always been short and small.”

“I love that you’re so small and cute,” Jack said fondly and Zhao Zi smiled a tiny little smile.

“I know you do.” He sighed. “Well, I thought it would get easier when Grandma signed me up for gymnastics classes. Cause I was really active and flexible and she wanted me to have something to do. And I was so good,” he gushed. “I started a little later than the other kids, but I was really good. And I trained really hard and even did some competitions and stuff. It was the only time I was happy other than being at home with Grandma. The other kids there didn’t think I was weird or make fun of me. Most of them thought I was awesome.” He sighed. “But then when I was thirteen and dreaming of one day being an Olympian, Grandma started to get too old to really work anymore. So I quit to stay home and help more with the housekeeping so she wasn’t so tired after work. She worked at a restaurant and having to work hard then come home and do the housework was too much for her. All the did after that was cook our food and then get to rest while I did all the work after school.” 

“You’re truly an amazingly selfless person, An An,” Jack said fondly.

Zhao Zi sighed. “Then I started the police academy after I finished school. I wanted to go to university but it just wasn’t possible. Being a police officer at least paid well and I could take better care of Grandma.” He bit his lip. “But… she got sick. While I was away.” He sniffled and Jack had to fight the urge to hold him. “She kept telling me she was fine when I called home, but I didn’t get to visit her really, I was too busy. And then before I could finish, I got a call that she was in the hospital. She had pneumonia.” He whimpered and his face crumpled. “I didn’t get to say goodbye,” he choked out. “I went to the hospital but she was unconscious and she didn’t ever wake up.” His shoulders shook and he let out a sob. “I did everything a good grandson should except be there to take care of her when she got sick, and it made her die, and I didn’t get to even thank her for being the best Grandma ever and for giving me a happy life when I lost my parents and could have ended up like Tang Yi and adopted by people who were bad to me,” he gasped. 

“I hate talking about that couple I killed because it makes me worry what happened to their baby,” he admitted, wiping at his tears. “And I wonder if Grandma would have been disappointed I orphaned a baby like I had been. And I know Grandma wouldn’t be but she was all I ever really had before I met Shao Fei and we became best friends. And even then, after she died, I spent years pretty much alone other than my coworkers and it made it worse, missing her.” He sniffled. “So yeah. That’s how I get people to confess to everything they ever did,” he said with a wet laugh. “I don’t talk about killing that couple, but I talk about how good my grandma was and how their grandma would be ashamed of them,” he said with a small smile. “It’s silly but it always works, especially if I cry when I talk about not getting to say goodbye to her.”

“I’m so sorry,” Jack said gently. “I didn’t know you never got to say goodbye. I can only imagine how badly that hurt,” he said, eyes wide as he looked at his brave, strong husband. “And to keep going after that? Wow.” He shook his head. “You’re always surprising me by somehow becoming more incredible than you always have been to me.”

Zhao Zi laughed wetly and turned to face him fully. “I’m not kidding. Grandma would be so happy I found you.”

“I hope so,” Jack said sincerely. When Zhao Zi uncoiled some and held out his hand, Jack wasted no time pulling him into his arms, holding him close, squeezing him in a big hug.

“Jaaack!” he whined, but giggled, especially when Jack pinned him down and just snuggled him close. “Dian Dian! You’re squishing me!”

“No I’m not,” he said, knowing most of his weight was on the bed. “I’m smothering you with love, it’s different!”

“You’re crazy!” 

“Crazy in love!”

“And cheesy!” Zhao Zi laughed, but when Jack looked into his eyes they were full of love. He stroked Jack’s face and sighed. “She’d really be proud I managed to land somebody so handsome. Look at me and then look at you? It’s crazy.”

“I know,” Jack said solemnly. “How did my ugly ass get such a beautiful husband?” He then instantly started tickling said husband, basking in how beautiful he was when he was glowing with happiness and giggling delightedly even as he pretended to fight back.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I went to Japan a few days after posting the last chapter and then since I got back I've just been writing my ass off for NaNoWriMo and I FINALLY finished so I could go finish this chapter!

Every time Shao Fei flinched, Tang Yi’s heart broke a little more. “I thought the wound was healing well?” he asked as Shao Fei winced while tying his robe up. 

Shao Fei smiled sadly. “I’m okay. It’s just sore. The scabs are cracking now,” he said, and Tang Yi’s heart clenched. “Oh, don’t make that face.” He walked over and sat on his lap, laying his head on Tang Yi’s shoulder. “I’m a cop. I’m fine.”

“I don’t care,” Tang Yi said, wrapping his arms around him. He kissed his head, smiling as that curl that never wanted to lay flat tickled his cheek. “I love you and you’re in pain. You could be a cop or a runway model, it wouldn’t change that you hurt and I hate it.” He held him close, stroking his hip. “I had to fall in love with someone constantly in danger,” he whispered sadly.

Shao Fei pulled back and looked at him, cupping his face in one hand. “You chose me, Tang Yi. You’re stuck with your choice.”

“I know,” he said, pouting. “It still sucks.” Shao Fei raised an eyebrow and Tang Yi grinned. “Not that I chose you, idiot. That you’re in constant danger.” He kissed his cheek. “If you were just another sexy gold digger, you would be safe with me.”

Shao Fei rolled his eyes. “You would be bored by that kind of partner,” he teased, then kissed him slowly. Tang Yi sank into it, sighing into their kiss. Shao Fei was without a doubt the one man he was meant to be with, because no simple kiss had ever felt so amazing. 

“Are you ready to sleep?” he asked once the kiss broke to a series of pecks.

Shao Fei nodded, rubbing their noses together. “I have to be up early tomorrow. Captain has a meeting at seven sharp. Very early.”

Tang Yi pouted dramatically. “Awww, so no morning sex?” he teased and Shao Fei rolled his eyes at him. Tang Yi grinned. “I’m kidding. I just had to see your face.”

“Ah-Yi, you devil,” Shao Fei joked, then kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

“I know. I love you, too,” he said, hugging him close. “Come on. I need a long night cuddling my detective in my arms.”

Shao Fei smirked. “Well you are lucky I am, in fact, a police detective, then.” He pecked his cheek and then got up, taking Tang Yi’s hand to lead him to bed. It was adorable how Shao Fei had no cares about their situation, tugging off his robe to reveal his naked body and then flop on the bed, snuggling into the covers and waiting for Tang Yi to join him in his pajamas. 

Tang Yi wrapped himself around Shao Fei’s nude body and kissed his shoulder, sighing heavily. “In the morning, I might have to join you in nakedness and enjoy this nudity.”

Shao Fei snickered. “If you want to wake up early with me I will welcome it,” he said, then tugged Tang Yi’s arm around him and snuggled back into his body, enjoying the cuddles from his fiancés warm body. “Mmmmm. Tang Yi, to be so thin you sure are warm.”

Tang Yi kissed his shoulder. “I aim to please, my beloved.”

Shao Fei preened and snuggled down, ready to enjoy their lovely night of sleep together.

~

Tang Yi grunted with every thrust, clinging to the pillow under his cheek. “So,” Shao Fei said in a breathy voice. “We still haven’t picked wedding colors.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?" Tang Yi groaned, gasping when Shao Fei’s thrust filled him deeper than before. “We’re having sex.”

“Mmmmm, it’s called multitasking,” Shao Fei panted. “I’m a detective, I have to be able to multitask.”

“I hate you,” Tang Yi sighed, biting his lip. “Who tries to plan a wedding while- fuck! – while he’s inside of someone?”

“When that someone is my fiance and it’s our wedding we have to plan,” Shao Fei said in a low voice. He leaned over Tang Yi’s back and kissed his shoulder. “Ah-Yi, you feel so good.”

“Mmmm, you do, too, when you’re not distracting me,” Tang Yi huffed. “There’s no way you’re gonna get me off doing that.”

Shao Fei chuckled breathlessly in his ear. “Oh yeah?” he asked, and he reached down to take Tang Yi in his hand, slowing his thrusts to grind just right for Tang Yi, making him gasp and shudder.

“Fuck, don’t stop,” he moaned, rocking his hips with Shao Fei’s movements. 

“Mmmmm. So I’m thinking white and red flowers-“

“Shao Fei, I swear to God,” Tang Yi complained, though he didn’t stop fucking himself back against Shao Fei. “I hate you so much.”

“Sure you do,” Shao Fei teased, twisting his hand on the upstroke, making Tang Yi shudder. “If you did you wouldn’t be marrying me.” Tang Yi smiled because he was relentless. “Also I want your tux to be navy. You look best in blue-“

“If I come with you talking about fashion opinions, you won’t fuck me again until our wedding night,” he threatened, though it wasn’t very good of one when he whined at the end because _goddamn_, Shao Fei knew how to fuck someone, that was for sure.

“I’m picking the wedding party’s outfits so I can be sure Hong Ye looks less beautiful than me-“

Tang Yi panicked internally and actually turned to glare at Shao Fei. “If you make me come while talking about my _sister_, I will never have sex with you ever again, Meng Shao Fei.”

Shao Fei kissed him and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, Honey,” he said, and then Tang Yi kissed him again, reaching back to hold Shao Fei’s hair. 

If they were kissing, Shao Fei couldn’t talk, after all. 

Although he really didn’t know how much longer he could focus on kissing because he was getting close. Shao Fei’s preferred slow, deep thrusts moving together to keep their bodies perfectly in sync was honestly the best Tang Yi had ever had. He had no idea how annoyingly good at sex that bratty detective who pestered him for four years was back then, but if he had known, he would have definitely seduced him so they were enemies with benefits at least if they had to be enemies anyway. 

“Why don’t I bottom more again?” Tang Yi panted against Shao Fei’s lips. 

Shao Fei smiled, rubbing their noses together. “Because I’m usually too tired to be this good by the time we go to bed,” he moaned, shivering. “Fuck, you feel so good, Tang Yi.”

“Mmmmm, you too. Fuck, I love it when you fuck me,” he gasped, more pressing the sides of their faces together than anything. “I’m so close, Ah-Fei,” he moaned.

He felt lips on his cheek and he turned to find them, and he was kissed until he could barely breathe. “Come for me, Ah-Yi,” Shao Fei whispered, and that was all it took for Tang Yi to do just that.

“Fuuuuuck,” he groaned as he spilled in Shao Fei’s hand, shaking and moaning as he worked him through it. “Goddamn how are you so good?”

“Natural talent,” Shao Fei groaned and then he stilled and shuddered, making Tang Yi shiver as he felt him coming inside of him. “Unnng,” Shao Fei groaned. “Tang Yi, Yes, fuck yes.”

“Mmmmm, yeah, I know the feeling,” he said, floating high on good sex and the knowledge he got to keep having sex this good forever.

When they finally collapsed to the bed, Tang Yi sighed, flopping an arm over Shao Fei’s chest as he snuggled in, laying his head on the same pillow. “Hi,” he said playfully and Shao Fei giggled, smiling that perfect smile Tang Yi loved so much. “Did you know your smile is what made me fall for you?”

“So it wasn’t all the times I tried to arrest you?” Shao Fei joked.

Tang Yi huffed and rolled his eyes. “I’m trying to be romantic, asshole.”

“Yeah, calling me an asshole is very romantic,” Shao Fei teased, eyes sparkling with mirth.

Tang Yi sighed and gave up. “Fine. You’re kind of hot when you’re angry, so that helped,” he mumbled, and Shao Fei burst out laughing.

“Oh God, we were truly meant for each other,” he said, leaning into kiss Tang Yi silly. Tang Yi just tugged the covers up over their heads as they let their kisses linger and their hands stray, because they had a whole day off and he fully intended to spend the entire time in bed.

~

Shao Fei finally got his wedding discussion, but only when he agreed to do it while lounging naked around their bedroom. “So I like these flowers,” he said, showing Tang Yi from where he lay with his head on Tang Yi’s bare abs. He held the phone up and Tang Yi smiled at them.

“Pretty,” he commented, then ruffled Shao Fei’s hair. “Like you,” he added.

Shao Fei rolled his eyes. “I’m not pretty. I’m manly. I’m handsome.”

“Well I think you’re pretty,” Tang Yi argued, then smirked down at him. “And I’m the one marrying you.”

Shao Fei didn’t argue, he just looked at his phone again. “I’m sending it to Hong Ye to put in our giant book of plans. I really like them.”

Tang Yi hummed. “I’m surprised you want to have such an elaborate wedding. You’re not very… fashionable,” he finished with a grimace. “Sorry, I don’t mean to insult you, A-Fei, I just-“

“No, you’re right,” Shao Fei agreed readily. “I’m not. And I’m not really sure this wedding won’t be tacky,” he admitted. He smiled up at him. “But it’s our wedding. I don’t want a planner to pick everything. I don’t want Hong Ye to take over. You only have one wedding, if you’re lucky like us, and I want it to be what _we_ want,” he stressed. “It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be what we want it to be.”

Tang Yi’s smile softened. “I love you,” he said softly. “As long as we’re married, I don’t really care that badly.”

“Well I want it to be a wedding,” Shao Fei said simply. “I want it to be a real wedding that’s _our_ wedding,” he added. “Even if it’s tacky, it will be ours.”

“Okay,” Tang Yi said with a nod. “Let’s go with what we want, then, regardless of how offended Hong Ye will be.”

Shao Fei smiled brightly. “You’re going to be the best husband ever,” he said, and Tang Yi smirked.

“I plan to only be a husband once so I sure hope so.”

Shao Fei hesitated, then sighed and flung his phone away from him – it had a strong case, he wasn’t worried – and sat up. “Okay, goddamn it, you’re too romantic, I need to make out with you right now,” he said, and Tang Yi just smirked and met him with open arms and lips ready to kiss him senseless.

They were never going to finish this wedding planning, but _goddamn_ the distractions were worth it, Shao Fei realized. 

~

By the time they left their bed for a late lunch, Hong Ye was sitting at the counter drinking tea. “So tell me, how do you ever get anything done if you two never stop fucking? After six hours, I’m pretty sure Shao Fei is pregnant with triplets.”

Tang Yi snorted. “You assume wrong about who would be pregnant, Hong Ye,” he teased and she choked on her tea, coughing it up all over the table.

“TANG YI! I didn’t ever want to know that!” she complained, flushed bright red. “I would expect vulgarity from him, not from you! We were raised better than that.”

He just winked. “I’m in a really good mood so why not be a shit like when we were teenagers,” he said, going over to the pantry. “Hmmmm. I’m thinking pasta. I think I burned off enough calories to deserve some starch.”

Shao Fei blushed and sat at the counter. “Honestly, Hong Ye, even I am embarrassed by him. Tang Yi, what on earth has gotten into you?” he asked.

Tang Yi just smirked over his shoulder. “Oh I think you know what’s been in me today.”

“TANG YI!” he snapped, putting a hand over his face. “Oh my God, Hong Ye, what has happened to him? I’m embarrassed and I’m never embarrassed.”

“You have good dick,” Tang Yi teased, laughing at how outraged both of them looked. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he said, smiling and shaking his head as he put on his apron. “I’m just in a good mood.”

“Clearly,” Hong Ye said flatly.

“We did a lot of wedding planning and it makes me happy,” Tang Yi explained. “I’m just happy that I’m really getting married. Big Tang always said one day I would know what made life worth living and that it would be love. I think he would have been happy for me,” he said with a pleased little smile as he started taking out cookware. 

He didn’t notice Hong Ye and Shao Fei exchanging looks but he did feel two long arms encircle his waist and lips press into his shoulder. “I’m sure he would have been so happy,” Shao Fei murmured, hugging Tang Yi close. “Maybe not with your choice of partner, but happy that you are loved.”

Tang Yi leaned back into his arms. “Oh he would laugh endlessly that another mobster ended up with another police officer,” he joked. “Plus you’re really cute, he would tease me for landing someone so cute.”

Shao Fei chuckled. “I still find it amazing that someone as handsome as you fell for someone so plain as me.”

“You’re not plain,” he reminded him, looking at him with a smile. “I think you’re the most beautiful person alive when you smile, remember?” Shao Fei smiled and Tang Yi leaned in to peck his lips. “Now, are you going to hang off of me some more or can I cook lunch?”

“Fine, fine, you cook, I’ll go harass Hong Ye some more,” he decided and Hong Ye mimed gagging at their antics. 

“The fact someone as handsome as Tang Yi thinks you’re beautiful is proof that love is blind,” Hong Ye said flatly.

“The fact someone as handsome as your husband picked as big of a bitch as you is proof that he’s got Stockholm Syndrome,” he countered and Tang Yi snickered, unable to help but shake his head at their amusing bickering. He knew they really did love each other like family so their fighting was just funny. He glanced over at the two most important people in his life as they got in each other’s faces and bickered and he could only smile fondly. 

He couldn’t wait to see them lay into each other when the wedding planning really got underway.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh so hey. *waves* I know it's been, ah, well. *reads hand* Almost 6 months.
> 
> But. Um. Here ya go? I plan to finish it in one or two more chapters.

Before he went back to work after his short medical leave, Tang Yi took Shao Fei out to a club to drink and dance and just have fun. He invited Shao Fei’s friends so they could all have a great time. What Shao Fei didn’t know was that Tang Yi decided to meet with the person who owned most of the bars in the district where people were going missing. 

“So. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Peng Shan asked, looking over his glass rim at Tang Yi.

Tang Yi swirled his glass as well. “I simply decided to enjoy a night out at your club with my fiancé,” he said, keeping his eyes on Peng Shan. “We’re celebrating.”

“Oh? Congratulations,” Peng Shan said, looking out at the crowd. “I had heard rumors Tang Yi was engaged.” He looked around. “Where’s the lucky lady?”

Tang Yi gave him a piercing look but didn’t let his expression falter beyond that. “Cut the crap, Peng Shan. Everybody knows who I’ve been seeing for nearly four years now.”

Peng Shan coughed awkwardly. “Ah. Well, I was trying to be polite,” he reasoned. “So. The detective who put you behind bars and you’re going to put a ring on it. Ballsy move.”

“Yes,” Tang Yi agreed. “Also the detective that let slip to me that there might be something going down in your clubs.” He sipped his drink. “I do believe you agreed to keep it all aboveboard when we didn’t have you removed from your position.”

Peng Shan looked genuinely surprised. “I did. There hasn’t been any drugs moved since you went to prison, Tang Yi, I swear. Any drugs getting in are coming in on the patrons, not being sold there.”

“Oh, it’s worse than drugs,” Tang Yi said darkly, reading Peng Shan carefully. “Human trafficking,” he said, and Peng Shan paled. It was pretty clear already that he didn’t know about the human trafficking, but it was always nice to remind those working for him that the worked _for him_. “Someone is using your clubs and the area around them to make sex workers disappear. And that’s hoping they aren’t also taking your clubgoers. 

Peng Shan looked out at the dance floor and clenched his jaw. “I’ll have my people look into this, Tang Yi, you have my word.”

“Tang Yi!” Tang Yi instantly smiled and turned back to the stairs, where Shao Fei ran up them to return to him. “This is so much fun,” he said, sliding his arms around Tang Yi to greet him with a peck to the cheek. “Are you sure you don’t want to dance?” he asked.

Tang Yi put a hand on his hip and shook his head. “Watching you dance is all the fun I need,” he said, and then turned to Peng Shan. “Peng Shan, this is my fiancé, Meng Shao Fei. Peng Shan was just congratulating us on our engagement. He’s an old associate of mine,” he explained.

Shao Fei smiled bashfully and nodded. “Thank you for your well wishes, then.” He kissed Tang Yi again and swiped his drink, taking a sip. “I’m going to go dance more, okay?”

Tang Yi smirked and leaned in, lowering his voice to whisper, “Just don’t use up all your energy before we get home, my dear.”

“Tang Yi!” Shao Fei yelped, shoving him playfully. “You’re so bad,” he said, then waved to Peng Shan and ran back down the stairs. 

Tang Yi looked at Peng Shan seriously. “He’s working undercover in your clubs. If anything happens to you inside of one or in view of the bouncers at the door, it isn’t just your ownership you will have to fear. Understand?”

Peng Shan’s panicked nod reassured him that Shao Fei was reasonably safe at least in the clubs under his control.

~

Shao Fei woke up with a great idea and decided he had to go straight to Zhao Zi’s place immediately. Tang Yi offered to drive him, since he had to go to work and could use Jack’s assistance, so why not trade off at their house. “You’re so smart, Tang Yi,” Shao Fei sighed, kissing him sweetly. He smiled at the pleased little look on his future husband’s face when he pulled back. “Now let’s go!”

When they got there, however, Shao Fei got the surprise of a lifetime when he banged on the door, only to have it opened by a shirtless Jack with _handcuffs_ on his wrists. “Oh my God, why are you handcuffed? Did someone attack you guys?!” he demanded.

Tang Yi just snickered and Shao Fei looked back at him, only to see Zhao Zi had popped up behind Jack. “A-Fei? What’s wrong? You’re early,” he said. “Is it the case?!”

“Well it was, but what the hell happened here?” he asked, and Tang Yi finally burst out laughing.

Jack, with an amused grin, wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m being interrogated.”

“Interrogated?! By who?!” Shao Fei blurted out in alarm, only to have Tang Yi finally lose it, and double over.

Zhao Zhi squeaked and turned red and ran back inside. “Nope!”

Jack breathed deep, puffing his chest up some. “Well you see, the brave detective woke up with a nasty intruder creeping around his bedroom, and he just had to drag him downstairs where his handcuffs were and detain the dastardly devil and interrogate him about what he was doing there.” Shao Fei’s eyes widened and he blushed in realization. “Too bad, you interrupted before he could torture the vile criminal to get him to talk.” He winked. “Or gag him and just have his wicked way with the foul beast as punishment for breaking into his home.”

“Oh my God,” Shao Fei blurted out in disgust. “Are you fucking with me? Seriously?” He looked down at Jack’s wrists and then over his shoulder. “ZHAO ZI THESE ARE YOUR ACTUAL POLICE ISSUED HANDCUFFS, THAT IS OBSCENELY INAPPROPRIATE!” He shook his head, turning to Tang Yi, who had laughed himself nearly to tears. “And you, stop being a pervert, it’s not funny, it’s gross!” He put his hands on his hips and sighed. “And to think my best friend had never even kissed anybody before you and now you’ve turned him into a sexual deviant.” 

Jack smiled brightly. “Oh trust me, he’s always been like this. You should see his erotic manga collection-“

“JACK SHUT UP!” Zhao Zi shouted, shoving him out of the way as he came out fully dressed this time. “Okay, sorry, A-Fei, let’s go,” he said, tugging his jacket on more firmly.

“Oh, Shorty.”

“What, Jack?” he asked with a grumpy pout.

Jack held his hands up. “Might need these.”

Shao Fei just put his face in his hands and shook his head at the absurdity of the entire situation, especially his normally stoic fiancé losing his shit beside him.

~

Zhao Zi was annoyed at Shao Fei all day. Mostly because he interrupted his sex games and he didn’t get to eat breakfast, but also because he kept scolding him about proper use of police equipment all day. And then on top of that, he asked Zhao Zi to do his least favorite thing: go undercover as a stripper. They always made him do it because he was so acrobatic. 

“I just don’t get why for once, _you_ can’t be the stripper or the prostitute!” Zhao Zi interrupted as they walked into Tang Yi’s house to see if Hong Ye had anything big enough for Zhao Zi to wear since the club he had found to be at the center of the disappearances wanted ‘pretty’, ‘expensive’ boys in designer skimpy clothes and the department wouldn’t fund the purchase. “Also, I know I’m small, but Hong Ye is way smaller than me!”

“Eh, not that much smaller,” Shao Fei dismissed, heading for the stairs. “And she likes oversized fashion sometimes. There has to be a pair of expensive leggings and a fancy tank top that will stretch to fit you.”

“Won’t that make her mad?” Zhao Zi asked.

Shao Fei shrugged. “And? She’s rich, she can buy more.”

“What are you planning to do to my sister now, Meng Shao Fei?” They stopped when the passed the kitchen and Tang Yi heard them. Zhao Zi thought about seeing Jack and he skipped into the kitchen excitedly, ignoring Shao Fei’s hisses for him to say nothing. Tang Yi was cooking with Jack again and he smiled. “Zhao Zi, how are you?” he asked politely.

“Great!” he said, rounding the large kitchen island to greet his husband with a peck on the cheek. “I was worried I wouldn’t get to see you tonight, so I’m glad you’re here.”

“Oh?” Jack raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on tonight that involves Hong Ye and you two?” he asked.

Shao Fei sighed. “Zhao Zi is playing a stripper again and we need designer clothes, so we’re going to raid Hong Ye’s closet for anything stretchy enough to fit on him, like leggings and a tank top or something. Maybe a blazer and some necklaces.”

Tang Yi sighed. “Shao Fei, you cannot steal my sister’s _clothes_.”

“Stripper? Again?” Jack asked suddenly. “Where? I’m going to be in the crowd.” He put his hand on Zhao Zi’s lower back. “I’m not risking anything happening to him.”

“Jack, I’ll be fine,” he said, then patted his hand. “And you wouldn’t really fit in the crowd. This is a very upscale place. The department won’t cover the wardrobe, it’s so upscale.”

“Shao Fei,” Tang Yi said with a sigh. “Love of my life, light of my world, pain in my ass.” He looked at him with a flat expression. “Do you not remember the black credit card you’ve had since you moved in here?”

Shao Fei opened his mouth and closed it again. “Oh yeah. Zhao Zi, we can just go buy you clothes ourselves!” he said. “Brilliant plan, Tang Yi!” he said, leaning over to kiss him in gratitude. 

“Oh, I always forget you’re rich now, A-Fei,” Zhao Zi agreed. “C’mon, let’s get going, I have to be at the club by nine-“

“I’m coming with you,” Jack said, sliding his hand into Zhao Zi’s. “I’m not risking your life, okay?” He looked into his eyes and Zhao Zi smiled, butterflies filling his tummy. “You’re my husband and I would die if you got hurt.” He looked at Tang Yi. “Hey, Boss, I know they’re all fitted, but you think you got a suit I could fit in?”

Tang Yi rolled his eyes and sighed. “I guess we’re all going to a strip club tonight. Come with me,” he said, turning off the stove and heading for the door. 

~

Shao Fei, Tang Yi, Jack, and, to Shao Fei’s annoyance, _Andy_ somehow wriggled his way in there, were all sitting at a table when Zhao Zi came onto the stage. “Oooh, that is a pretty little thing right there,” Andy said, putting his chin on his hand. “Oh to have that ass.”

“Eyes off my husband, please,” Jack said lowly.

Andy gasped. “So _that_ tasty little treat is our dear friend Zhao Zi?”

“He’s not your friend,” Shao Fei argued, glaring at him from where he sat very much between Andy and Tang Yi. “Stop being a home-wrecker!”

“Oh honey, I’m not wrecking homes, I’m enhancing them.” He winked, wrapping his tongue around his straw seductively. “I only sleep with men whose spouses allow me to. After all, I tell my husband whenever I want to sleep with someone outside the marriage bed.”

Shao Fei’s jaw dropped. “You’re _married_?!”

Andy nodded eagerly and gestured to the bartender. “Why do you think you ran into me here of all places?” He sighed, looking at the dancers. “Window-shopping. Hoping I’ll snag one of these pretty boys to bring home with us tonight and show him how fun a threesome can be.”

“Kinky,” Tang Yi chuckled.

“Yeah, well, you can have your open marriage,” he said, leaning closer to Tang Yi. “But ours is going to remain tightly, tightly closed.”

Jack smirked at them and looked at the stage and it was clear to Shao Fei he was thinking the same thing. “I want to know nobody else has ever so much as kissed mine for the rest of our lives. I’m possessive that way.”

Andy gaped. “You’re telling me _that_ tasty little morsel-“ He gestured to where Zhao Zi was hanging off the pole with just the strength of his thighs to hold him onto it. “Was a _virgin_ before you?” He gasped dramatically. “Why Jack, you dirty boy, I bet he couldn’t leave the bed for weeks!”

Jack winked. “Don’t underestimate an eager, untouched police officer, Sweetheart. I had bruises in places even a fight can’t give them to me after our honeymoon.”

Shao Fei mimed gagging. “This is disgusting. Truly.”

There was some commotion near the stage that caught their attention and, sure enough, a drunk guy was trying to climb up on the stage with Zhao Zi. Jack started to get up but Tang Yi grabbed him. “Trust his abilities,” he muttered, and Jack gritted his teeth as he sat back down. Shao Fei watched worriedly as Zhao Zi backed away as the guy made it up there. There was hustle and bustle as bouncers tried to cross the floor, but before they could bother, Zhao Zi spun around the pole and kicked the guy, knocking him off the stage. Someone cut the music and Zhao Zi scrambled to head backstage immediately.

“Well shit,” Shao Fei said, sighing. “So much for seeing if anybody suspicious follows him out, now. Alright, this is a bust.”

“Awwww, and just when we were bonding,” Andy said, and Shao Fei pointed a finger in his face.

“We will _never_ bond! And I’m setting you at the loser table at the wedding,” he said, then stood up, keeping his body between Tang Yi and Andy as they and Jack got up and left to go wait around back for Zhao Zi.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DON'T HATE ME!

Zhao Zi was annoyed. He got half-naked in front of dozens of strangers all for some drunk asshole to ruin his undercover mission by causing a commotion that would definitely scare away any suspects. “So stupid,” he huffed as he shrugged on his normal shoes and grabbed his jacket. He wished he had brought his own clothes because the shirt Shao Fei had put him in didn’t even have buttons to cover his chest, it was so skimpy. He grabbed his bag out of the locker he’d been given in the dressing room, and he froze when he saw it was open. He hadn’t opened it since he got to the strip club.

He carefully looked for signs of anything dangerous, like poison or an explosive or anything like that, and then when he deemed it safe, he peered in. There was a big envelope inside and he carefully grabbed it by a corner to pull it out, trying to touch it as little as possible in case there was evidence on it. He opened it just as carefully and frowned when he saw photographs inside. He pulled them out, and gasped, dropping them all. He dropped to the floor and grabbed them far less carefully than he should, eyes wide as he flipped through them in horror.

They were pictures of him and Jack having sex. “How?!” he muttered to himself, only to think of the angle. They were pictures of them in the kitchen, him bent over the counter while Jack ate him out, and then one of Jack on his knees for him. It hit him like a train to realize someone had essentially climbed into the shrubs outside his house and took photographs through a small gap in the curtains to get those pictures. “Shit, shit, shit,” he said, flipping through the rest of them, only to flush when this time it was photos of Shao Fei and Tang Yi taken through the sheer curtains of his office’s glass walls at his house. Clearly someone got into Tang Yi’s property and had a telephoto lens to get that shot, and since the lights were on inside and the curtains weren’t very opaque, it was easy to see their slightly blurred naked bodies through them.

And it wasn’t just them, he flipped through and really blushed when there was a picture of _Yu Qi_ getting out of her shower, Jun Wei taking off some woman’s shirt in a bedroom, and even _their Captain_ and her husband in their house. “What the hell is this about?!” he muttered to himself.

“For the catalogue of all our items.”

Zhao Zi was on his feet and reaching for his gun in an instant, but as he turned and tried to raise it, it was knocked out of his hands and the last thing he saw was a boot coming right at his head.

~

Jack shuffled, blowing on his hands to fight the cold. “What is taking so long?” he asked, and Tang Yi checked his watch again. 

Shao Fei looked at his phone again. “I don’t know. He said he was going to be coming out of the back,” he said, looking down the alley again. “It doesn’t take that long to grab your stuff. Maybe he found someone’s snacks?”

Jack crossed and then uncrossed his arms. “This doesn’t feel right,” he said, and it really was starting to stress him out. He’d felt like this was a bad plan all night. “Is there any other way out of here?” he asked.

Shao Fei shook his head. “Other than the fire escape, no. And the fire alarm would go off if that door was opened, this place stays up to building codes.”

Tang Yi looked at him and Jack’s blood ran cold. “Unless you have an employee that’s on the take who could disable it,” he said, and Jack remembered several times he went undercover to disable alarms.

Shao Fei’s eyes widened. “Shit! It’s not a customer tracking people, it’s plants inside the clubs!” Jack took off running down the alley before either of them could move. He wheeled around and ran to the back door, kicking the handle that they knew was unlocked from the inside but locked from the outside, and dragged the door open, rushing in. Several half-naked girls screamed when he shoved them out of the way, rushing to the locker room. He remembered the layout from the plans they had, and he knew where Zhao Zi was supposed to be. He burst into the room, hearing the other two running behind him, and when he saw Zhao Zi’s bag knocked on the floor and abandoned, his heart stopped.

“No,” he gritted out weakly. He walked over to the bag and picked it up, only to see a pile of photographs. He picked them up and flipped through them quickly, rage mounting with every stalker shot. He turned back just as Tang Yi and Shao Fei walked in and held them up. “Someone’s been stalking everybody on this case and taking photos of them having sex or being naked. They were always planning on ending the investigation by _selling_ Unit 3.”

Shao Fei snatched them and paled. “Oh my God, no!”

Tang Yi grabbed them and glowered when he saw the ones of his house. “Someone got past my security?!”

“These aren’t amateurs, Boss,” Jack said, his fear rising in tandem with his rage by the second. “This is a major human trafficking ring with resources and they took my husband,” he said, shaking his head. “We need help. We need- we need any help we can get.” He fought a wave of panic as he spoke. “They’re going to try to sell my husband to be someone’s toy, and when he fights back, they will kill him.”

Shao Fei gasped. “Shit, I have to call my team! Yu Qi lives alone, Captain’s husband is a civilian and won’t know better than to let someone in, they could get the drop on Jun Wei-“

“Call them now,” Tang Yi said. “And tell them that Detective Zhao Zi has been taken. I’ve got my resources, but as much as I still feel weird about the police, a detective missing will get the entire city swarming with them.”

Jack closed his eyes, fighting the fear that was clouding his logic. “I still have contacts with Interpol,” he said. “They keep track of me. Just a check in every few months to make sure I’m still just a married man living a domestic life.”

“Use them,” Tang Yi said, and then took out his phone as he turned and started back outside. “Come on, we don’t have any time to spare.”

~

Shao Fei had to go into the station immediately, and Tang Yi hated it. They took him directly there before they would go back to his place to start on it there, and then they stopped and he jumped out of the car, Tang Yi followed him, grabbing his wrist to stop him. He turned back in confusion. “Tang Yi? What-“ 

Tang Yi pulled him into his arms and kissed him desperately, clutching his face in his hands as he poured every ounce of devotion into that kiss. When it broke, both of them were panting and he looked into those beautiful, perfect eyes as they caught their breath. “Meng Shao Fei, you better be safe, okay? I love you so much. I can’t lose you.” 

Shao Fei’s eyes glistened, and he sniffled. “I’m going to be okay, A-Yi. I know, okay? I know.” He kissed him one more time, gently this time. “If I was in Jack’s position, I would be losing it.”

Tang Yi nodded. “Please. Please stay safe. I have to marry you, remember?”

Shao Fei grabbed Tang Yi’s hand and pulled it to his lips, kissing the band on his finger that matched his own. “We’re going to get married, and my best man will be at my side, because I’m going to find him, okay?”

Tang Yi nodded again, his own eyes stinging with tears of absolute, utter fear. This was a dangerous situation and Shao Fei was leaving his side, going out there where he couldn’t protect him. “I love you. Let’s find your friend, okay?”

“Love you, too,” Shao Fei said, then with one last peck, he turned and ran for the building. Tang Yi got back in the car and pretended he wasn’t wiping away tears, the same way he pretended he didn’t see them swimming in Jack’s usually hardened, dangerous eyes, too. 

~

Shao Fei was met with his entire team, and some extras from other teams, all waiting for him. “Captain,” he said, holding up the envelope of photographs, “I’ve got this. But it’s been touched by at least three of us so I don’t think prints are likely. Also this is not an amateur situation. This is a very highly sophisticated criminal ring.”

She took the envelope and opened it, laying the photos out on the table. Yu Qi squeaked when she saw herself naked, but the others were in professional mode already. She probably just didn’t expect it. “Shit,” Jun Wei said, leaning over and Shao Fei honestly didn’t give a damn his coworker was looking at a photo of him and his fiancé having sex. “This is from within the grounds of Tang fucking Yi’s mansion!”

“Exactly,” Shao Fei said, shaking his head. “The theory is that the clubs all have plants inside. They identify targets and inform the heads of this organization. Probably the same as men and women as plants for the sex workers on the streets. However, Tang Yi is very thorough about checking into everybody that works for him after they started legitimizing Tian Meng, so that means this person got past his security.” He tapped the photo. “This? This is the back of the house. Someone didn’t just climb a tree across from the front gates. They got onto the grounds of our home and we have motion sensors on the fences,” he stressed. “Someone was scouting for weeks to slowly and discreetly manage to disable a portion of our fences.”

Captain grimaced. “We’re working with real professionals here. This isn’t snatching people at random. They’re targeting exact people.”

Shao Fei nodded. “And since the staff at the strip club tonight were aware of our operation, they chose to go for the easiest target to take that they can sell to the best bidder fast,” he said gravely. “Yu Qi would have been a more obvious target, but she hasn’t been half-naked at three strip clubs in the past few weeks, so there will be buyers who will jump at a product they’ve already wanted.”

“Shit,” Jun Wei said. “We better hope we find Zhao Zi before they can hurt him or no amount of highly sophisticated criminal ring will protect them from Jack.”

Shao Fei grimaced. “Oh yeah. I suspect we won’t be able to stop him even if we do find them. Although he’s getting help from Interpol, so that will help.”

Captain looked at him in surprise. “How does Zhao Zi’s husband we all pretend isn’t a deadly criminal have Interpol contacts?”

“He was actually a plant,” Shao Fei explained. “He was deep into Tian Meng to get information for Interpol to get Tang Yi.” He shrugged at the Captain’s shocked face. “He’s a mercenary and they caught him and the only way to keep them from arresting him was to work with them. It’s how he isn’t traceable to any of his past criminal activity. He said they still check up on him every few months to make sure he’s living a quiet life for real.” He tapped the photo. “They really fucked up taking Zhao Zi. They think that they can end the investigation by making us all disappear, but they took the one with ties to Interpol, the criminal underground, and who is a detective.” He shook his head. “They’re going down now.”

“Yes, they are,” Captain said coldly. “I’m going to have every cop in the city on high alert, and I’m going to pretend I believe that your criminal has truly gone legit and just not ask questions.”

He grimaced and sighed. “Yeah, that’s probably for the best.” He clapped his hands together. “Alright, guys, start reaching out to all of your contacts. We’ve got a very limited window in hoping to get Zhao Zi back alive, and I’m not losing one of our teammates,” he said and they all nodded, breaking to go to their desks and start making phone calls.

Shao Fei took out his phone and dialed the last person he wanted to get help from, but one he knew was very well known in the club scene and probably could find the plants in the clubs.

Andy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, this one gets kinda disturbing at the end. You'll see what I mean but yeah, be prepared. I can't really give any specific trigger warnings other than 'human trafficking' which is already a major part of the story, but it's still really uncomfortable.

Andy didn’t _actually_ hate Meng Shao Fei. He was actually really happy that Tang Yi found someone who truly loved him, because though he missed getting to sleep with Tang Yi, his friend was truly happy for the first time in a long time when he fell in love with Shao Fei. And when Shao Fei truly stayed faithful to Tang Yi – Andy had to look after his friend’s best interests so of course he kept tabs on Shao Fei – for three long years, he really did admire the love and devotion that Shao Fei had for someone as important to Andy as Tang Yi.

However, he was pretty sure Shao Fei really did hate his guts since he was a jealous, possessive man who couldn’t stand the fact Tang Yi still stayed friends with someone he used to sleep with. Because of that, he was very shocked to see Shao Fei’s face on the camera at his front door so late at night. “Andy? Who is it?” He looked back to see his sleepy husband shuffling down the stairs, clearly woken from the doorbell. (Unfortunately, they hadn’t managed to find someone to bring home with them, so they had simply gone to bed when they got home.)

“Don’t worry, Darling. It’s Tang Yi’s fiancé,” he explained, going to open the door. However, when he saw the barely hidden panic in Shao Fei’s eyes, his heart sank. “Is Tang Yi alright?” he asked quickly.

Shao Fei pushed past him, waving to his husband on the stairs. “Tang Yi is fine, but I need your help.” 

Andy knew immediately something had happened that was bad. “You must be truly desperate to seek my help. This must be serious.”

“Zhao Zi, the one that was undercover tonight?” he started, and Andy smiled at the memory of that cute little guy. His smile fell when Shao Fei continued. “He was taken. We were waiting for him to come out the back and he never came, but the only ways in or out were the back door, the front entrance, and nobody could have taken him from there.” He paused and looked Andy in the eyes. “Unless an employee of the club is a plant by the crime organization and they disabled the fire alarm so they could go out the fire escape.”

“Shit,” Andy blurted out.

“You’re so deep into the club scene,” Shao Fei said, shaking his head. “If anybody can find out what clubs people have disappeared from have suspiciously new employees, it’s you. Bars, clubs, strip joints, all of it, you’re well aware of the goings on in this area. We need to find someone that is a plant at any of these places and try to get information because there were photographs left near Zhao Zi’s bag of all of my unit, and it’s easy to see they were planning to stop us investigating by taking us and selling us in their human trafficking organization so we’ll never be able to solve it.”

Andy shuddered, looking away. His husband came to his side immediately and he looked at him. “Darling,” he said, his voice brittle. “Do you know anybody at work that is new?”

He shook his head. “Not any newer than a few months.”

“That’s new enough,” Shao Fei insisted. “I need their names. I need to run checks on them and try to find something, anything.” He looked at Andy with desperation in his eyes. “I know we’re not the best of friends, Andy, but please. Zhao Zi is my best friend since I was twenty years old,” he begged. “I have to find him. I have to get him back alive.”

Andy swallowed hard, looking Shao Fei in his eyes. “Do you know how I met Tang Yi?” he asked softly. Andy shuddered, memories flashing through his head. “He saved me from a rival gangster who treated me like his sex slave. He bought me pretty things and said sweet stuff and treated me like the perfect sugar baby. I was twenty-two years old.” He sniffled. “And then when I moved in with him, he beat me. He hurt me in every way you can imagine. He threatened my life if I ever told anybody. After six months of that hell, Tang Yi saw him hit me once at a meeting and came back for me when it was over to save me, because Tang Yi is a good man who doesn’t leave people in need behind.” He shook his head. “I could hate you with the fire of a thousand suns and I would still help you however I can to get your friend back and take these monsters down.”

Shao Fei paled, eyes widening. “Oh shit. Andy I-“ He hesitated. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that happened to you.” To Andy’s surprise he stepped forward and _hugged_ him. “Thank you for trusting me with something so painful.” He pulled back and nodded. “Let’s get to work.”

Andy smiled in surprise and nodded. “Come on, I’ll put on some coffee and start making phone calls. We’re in for a long night.”

~

Jack roared and flipped the coffee table, kicking it repeatedly after doing so, because they had no leads so far. It had been four hours and nothing. “Calm down,” Hong Ye demanded, pointing a finger in his face. His chest heaved and he wished so badly he could hit her for getting in his face. However, he liked being alive and he knew he’d be dead in a second and she would do it herself. “I understand,” she stressed, and he kind of felt bad for wanting to hit her, because the look in her eyes was true sympathy. 

He closed his eyes and exhaled. “My husband is missing, Hong Ye. You can’t understand.”

“Okay, maybe not,” she admitted. “But if my husband had been kidnapped, I would be just as frantic as you are, only I would be out shooting people until they told me where he was, because I don’t have the restraint you do.”

“True,” Tang Yi said, coming over to put a hand on her shoulder. “Jack, we’re going to find him-“

“Alive or dead?” Jack asked, looking him in the eyes. “I’m a mercenary, Tang Yi, I could kill everybody in this room in thirty seconds with nothing but the objects around me, and Zhao Zi is half the size of one of the men in this room and surely unarmed. This is a professional organization. He could already be dead,” he gritted out, fighting the urge to cry, because he could not cry in front of these people. The only person who could ever see him cry was his husband. “Forgive me for losing it when the only person I’ve ever loved could be dead right now,” he choked out.

Tang Yi nodded. “I understand. Trust me.” He looked Jack dead in the eyes, and Jack could see that he _did_ understand what others couldn’t. “I shot him. Not anybody else. I did. I shot the man I love. I know the pain you are in.”

Jack looked away, nodding. “I’m going to go check in and see if Interpol has anything yet,” he decided, walking out of the room. When he got to the hallway, he gave in and put his hands over his face and cried. Jack didn’t cry. Jack was a hardened criminal who had killed people, who had betrayed people, who had given up the bulk of normal human emotions.

But he loved his husband too much to not cry.

Jack leaned against the wall and gasped for air because he had never been more terrified in his life. He had grown numb to guns pointed at his head or knives held to his throat. He had very little ability to feel guilt or fear or grief. But he had also never loved another person before he fell in love with Zhao Zi. He’d slept with people for dozens of reasons, from boredom to manipulation, but he had never _loved_ until his An An. And someone had taken him. Someone had taken the only person to ever make Jack feel human. They took the center of his world away from him and he wasn’t sure he would get him back. If they found him dead, Jack would probably kill himself. He would have no reason to live any longer.

Then there was the other fear. If they found him alive but he’d been raped, Jack would go to prison for killing every person he could get his hands on. Anybody he even suspected had touched him, he would kill them. Zhao Zi was so innocent in so many ways and that type of violation would haunt him for the rest of his life. If they made his husband suffer that kind of trauma, he would make them suffer as he killed them slowly.

Jack just really, really wanted his husband to be safe in his arms where nobody could ever hurt him. He wouldn’t rest until that was exactly where Zhao Zi was.

~

Zhao Zi woke up to a bucket of ice-cold water right to the face. “Ah!” he cried out, shaking his head, blinking his eyes to try and see. His vision swam and he swayed some. He tried to steady himself, but he couldn’t move. He gasped and struggled, only to realize he was tied up. He rolled onto his side to look around, but he was in what looked like an abandoned building.

“Oh good. We worried we had hit you too hard.” He turned his head and saw two men looking down at him. “Hello, Detective.”

Zhao Zi suddenly was hit by the memory of what happened. “You! You’re in big trouble! I’m a police officer, you’re going to jail for this!” He sat up, wiggling against the ropes tying his wrists and legs together. “Under statute number six-“

“Oh how are the police going to catch us if we capture and sell the entire unit?” the taller man asked, coming to crouch in front of him with a dark smirk. “You’re just the easiest to sell so we took you first.”

Zhao Zi’s blood ran cold and he opened and closed his mouth. “You- I- but-“

“Really didn’t put it together, huh? Or maybe my assistant kicked you too hard.” He looked at the guy with the scar on his face. “Told you to stun him, not break him.”

“Eh what’s the difference? Nobody’s buying them for their conversation skills,” he said, looking Zhao Zi over. “Didn’t damage the pretty face too bad. Just a lump on the forehead. It’ll go down.”

Zhao Zi wriggled harder. “You can’t do this. I’m- I’m a cop!”

“And? Maybe if we advertise with that, they’ll really enjoy it. Think of all the roleplay,” he said, winking at Zhao Zi. “Although they probably wouldn’t believe it, since they saw you dancing so often lately, Sweetheart. Pretty little boy like you? Mmmm. We’re going to rake it in on you. It will be harder to sell the old lady captain but there’s a market,” he said, and Zhao Zi felt _sick_ at the thought of what all these people had done. 

“I’m a married man, you asshole, he’s the only one who is ever allowed to touch me!” Zhao Zi snapped at him, unable to help it. He lashed out when he got scared sometimes. He was terrified out of his mind and he couldn’t run so his anger took over. 

“And? Who cares, most of them are buying prostitutes. They don’t care if you’re used goods,” the guy said with a leer.

“You’ll fucking care when my husband finds you,” Zhao Zi gritted out, shaking with anger at the thought of what Jack was probably going to be forced to do, even if he promised not to, in order to save him. “My husband isn’t like me, Sir. My husband used to be an assassin for a major crime boss. You’re screwed, both of you. All of you,” he amended. “I’m his only family and he will kill you all,” he warned them. “I made him promise me when we started dating that he wouldn’t hurt people ever again, but I doubt he’ll care about breaking his promise to rescue the only family he’s got.”

There was a flicker in the scar-faced guy’s eyes but the one kneeling just snorted. “Cute story, Kid. You aren’t married to a fucking former assassin. You’re too much of a boy scout.”

Zhao Zi raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been tracking my entire unit. You know one of the head detectives is Meng Shao Fei. You think he’s any less of a ‘boy scout’ than I am?”

The guy hesitated, clearly thinking hard. “Meng Shao Fei is an outlier. I don’t believe that two of you in such a small team would do that shit. No way.”

Zhao Zi smirked, feeling braver as his anger overweighed his fear. “Tang Yi didn’t do his own dirty work.”

“Of course not, he’s a mob boss, he has people for that. That redhead in the surveillance we’ve been taking seems to be the heavy in that situation,” the man dismissed, only to suddenly make the connection. “Wait.” He looked at Zhao Zi who just grinned.

“Your people photographed me having sex with my husband. Who has red hair,” he said, then clucked his tongue. “Told ya. You messed up. If Shao Fei doesn’t find me before Jack, you won’t go to prison, you’ll go to the morgue.”

The guy stood up quickly and turned to the one with the scar. “We’ve got to move this product quickly. The faster we get him out of here, the less likely anybody finds him. Bring in the buyers,” he said, and Zhao Zi’s anger faded into sheer terror. They were about to sell him _right now_ and once that person took him away, there was no telling if Shao Fei or Jack could ever find him. 

He bit back a wave of tears at the heartbreaking thought of never seeing Jack again. 

When the doors opened, four people were brought in. Three of them were men of varying ages and one was a woman. They were led over to where he was on the floor and the ‘Salesman’ nodded to his sidekick. The sidekick came over and dragged Zhao Zi to his feet and held him steady since his ankles were still tied. “Gentleman, and lady,” the salesman amended, “Tonight we have a special treat. Isn’t he adorable?” he said, and the group chuckled. “Don’t mind the bruise, it will go away and his pretty face will be good as new.” He came over and trailed a finger down Zhao Zi’s cheek. “Upper twenties in age but a face like a teenager if you want to roleplay. And a special treat! From what I’ve surmised, he’s only had one lover, so almost certainly disease free.” Zhao Zi shuddered at the way he was speaking about him like an item, not a person. “Very flexible, as witnessed by our appraiser at the strip club. Always a plus.” He grabbed Zhao Zi’s chin between two fingers and tilted his head back and forth. “No visible scars, perfect skin, and big, innocent eyes like a virgin.”

“Stop,” he gritted out, yanking his face out of the man’s hold. 

“Feisty, too,” he said with a leer. “Sure to put up a fight, but that’s more fun, isn’t it? A perfect pet to tame into submission.” He clapped his hands together. “Now let’s get a look at the body!” he said, and Zhao Zi flinched when his wrists were untied. He tried to struggle once they were free, but with his ankles still bound, it was useless. The guy holding him was too strong for him to break free. The salesman came and unbuttoned his shirt, stripping it off of him, the assistant letting him free one wrist at a time so Zhao Zi couldn’t fight back. 

“Hey!” Zhao Zi yelped when the guy undid his pants. “You- that’s- HEY!” He gasped and blushed when his pants and underwear were yanked down in one go, exposing his entire body to a room full of people. 

“Oh such a pretty blush,” one of the buyers commented and he turned his head, tears threatening to fall at how humiliated he felt. 

“Very pretty,” the seller commented. Zhao Zi tried to wiggle away as the man touched him all over. “Nice abs, firm arms, trim waist, very little body hair. Lovely legs, don’t you think?”

“Absolutely lovely,” the woman commented.

“Pretty little cock, too,” another man said and Zhao Zi flinched at how _vulgar_ this all was.

Zhao Zi gasped as he was turned around, and squeaked when the seller grabbed his ass. “Firm, round buttocks, always a plus. Nice back and shoulders. Truly a fine product I’ve got for you tonight. Zhao Zi actually began to cry when the man shoved him to bend over and said, “Well groomed as you can see,” because Zhao Zi had never felt more exposed and humiliated in his entire life. None of the bullying as a kid. None of the teasing from rivals in the police academy. Nothing had ever been more humiliating than this. He was dragged back upright and turned back around and he just kept his eyes down, not caring anymore that they could see the tears on his face. “Even pretty when he cries!” the seller said, as if that was something to be turned on by.

To these sick bastards, it probably was, he realized.

“Since we’ve examined the product and he is truly a rare gem, let’s start the bidding at one million NT!” All Zhao Zi could do was look down at the floor as he was auctioned off.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot WAIT to see how many of you hate me muahahahaha

Andy stood next to Shao Fei in the interrogation room where three people sat, much to the dislike of his captain and the rest of his team. However, Captain understood that, as long as the higher ups never found out, bringing in Andy and Tang Yi to help Shao Fei in the interrogation would be the best way to get Zhao Zi back.

“Where is he?” Shao Fei looked back at Tang Yi, who strode through the door with Jack at his side. 

“No,” Shao Fei said, going to intercept Jack. “You are too unstable right now. Wait outside with them,” he said, pointing to the ones standing outside the window. 

“Shao Fei-“

“Do it,” Shao Fei said, putting more dominance in his voice. “This is a police station. You will not attack any of our suspects. Get out.” The finality in his voice seemed to be enough, and Jack begrudgingly went back out. Shao Fei turned back around, locking the door in clear view of the suspects. 

“Between me and my husband, we found three new-ish employees at places where Shao Fei knew people went missing from.” He turned back to Tang Yi. “This one works at _my_ bar.” Andy glared over his shoulder at the young woman. “He’s from the strip club from last night,” he said, gesturing to the second person. “And she’s the receptionist for a friend of mine who runs an escort business.” 

Tang Yi nodded. “Okay. What do we know about any of them?”

Shao Fei felt a bit of rage as he stood in front of the one from the club Zhao Zi disappeared from. “He’s a suspect because he’s only been there a few months, and in that time, Zhao Zi is the third person to leave work and never come back without leaving any notice. Worst of all, one of the reasons we chose that strip club is because we assumed it was patrons eyeing the goods and kidnapping them after work specifically because the woman at the body dump we investigated worked there before her disappearance. Once we turned to the employee angle, Andy’s husband remembered that right after she ‘quit’, one of the bartenders quit suddenly on short notice. This guy applied for a job as a bartender the very next day out of the blue.” Shao Fei shook his head. “They’re smart. They even take their plant out and put in a new one so nobody can make a connection.”

When Tang Yi glared at him, he man looked terrified. “What about your employee, Andy?”

Andy glared at her like he wanted to claw her eyes out. “She played me. Surely she had no idea I was extremely sensitive to the subject, but she was there with a man who kept squeezing her wrist when she pulled away from him and acting all scared of him, and I saw it. When she went to the bathroom, I followed her and asked if she needed me to help her get out of the bar away from him. Instead she told me she didn’t have any money to move out so she had to put up with her boyfriend being mean to her.” He looked at Tang Yi and Shao Fei knew they both were thinking what he was. That would have worked on anybody, but Andy had suffered a similar fate, as Shao Fei now knew, so it was easy to see why he hired her on the spot. “She was a waitress for the past three months. Shao Fei was showing me pictures of some that were reported missing and I recognized _two_ faces are regulars at my bar.” He looked at the young woman and scoffed. “It’s bad enough you would ever help someone _sell_ humans, but faking being an abuse victim is an insult to real survivors, you bitch,” he spat out, and Tang Yi grabbed his shoulder comfortingly. 

Andy reigned it in and gestured to the other woman. “I have a friend who runs a classy escort service. The type where you pay for a beautiful woman to be your arm candy at big events. It’s not a prostitution service, though I’m sure a lot of the girls finish their professional business and get some ‘very large tips’ for additional time spent off the payroll with their clients.” He looked at the receptionist. “She is new. She was hired two months ago, and two weeks ago one of my friend’s girls vanished. My friend’s system is that at the end of the service time, they have to check in, either by coming back to the office in person or by calling and letting them know she’s going home. I asked my friend and she answered exactly what I thought: they have the girls addresses on file because some clients want certain fashion choices and the escort service supplies them by mailing them to the girls before their date.” He looked at Tang Yi. “Pretty sure when the girl checked in to say she was going home, someone was waiting for her at her apartment.”

Shao Fei shook his head. “I don’t know how or why any of you, especially you two who have the same age and look as the same women that are being taken and _sold_, would help pick out victims, but if you tell us who is behind this and give us information on how to stop them, I promise, your trial will go a lot more smoothly and end in a lot lighter sentences.”

The woman from Andy’s bar gave him a pointed look. “Or, this is a big coincidence and you’ve arrested three innocent people. I’m just a waitress. I never faked being a victim of shit!” she denied. She tilted her head. “And nothing connects me to them. I’ve never seen either of them in my life. Maybe one of them is in on it, but you can’t drag me down with them if they are helping human trafficking.”

Tang Yi sighed. “Is this true?”

“Yes,” Shao Fei said in frustration. “There’s no link between them. They just fit the profile we’re working on. They don’t live near each other, they bank at different banks, they take different forms of transportation to get to work, there is no record of contact between them, nothing.” He turned back. “But that doesn’t mean much. I doubt an organization this sophisticated would hire people who could be linked in the event we caught onto their planning.”

Tang Yi looked at the man in the middle. “What’s your story?” he asked.

The guy shrugged. “I got dragged out of my bed at the crack of fucking dawn by a coworker and a cop and pretty boy over here,” he said, nodding at Andy. “I don’t fully understand what’s going on.”

Shao Fei was annoyed. “You we actually have evidence on. Someone who works there disabled the fire alarm.”

“Circumstantial,” the guy dismissed. “A lot of people work there.”

“Yes, just like me!” the receptionist argued. “Going by your theory, anybody that works for Madame could have gotten anybody’s address off the files. Just because I’m new doesn’t mean anything.”

Shao Fei was pacing, thinking up the next line of questioning to start, when Tang Yi caught his elbow. “Andy, Shao Fei, come with me.” They walked out and the others who were standing at the window looked at them in surprise. “Police officers, cover your ears please,” he said, and they all complied, even Captain, though she looked reluctant. Tang Yi looked at Shao Fei and lowered his voice. “Is this room recorded by video or audio?”

“Both,” Shao Fei answered. “Why?”

He looked at Andy and then back at Shao Fei. “Is there any way to cause a ‘glitch’ in the video for forty seconds and then have it come back online? It’s already questionable enough the police let me and Andy in, so they won’t question a small glitch since our presence enough is reason to get you all censured.”

Shao Fei frowned. “What are you going to do?”

“Nothing that involves violence or threat, and you will be questioning them still the whole time so your voice is on audio as being in the room with us.” Shao Fei wasn’t sure about this, but he nodded.

“I can tell Jack where the control room is and let him flip the switch to reboot the cameras. It takes about a minute to come back online,” he agreed. He was desperate. He needed to get to Zhao Zi as fast as possible. 

Tang Yi nodded and turned to Andy. “Go find some paper and a marker,” he said, and Shao Fei was even more confused about what Tang Yi could write and hold up to the suspects that wasn’t a threat but could help them. However, he chose not to ask questions, because if he didn’t know, he couldn’t be forced to testify if this all went bad.

~

Tang Yi told Jack to sync the reboot at an exact minute, and when he checked his watch and saw there were ten seconds, he looked to Andy, his back to the camera, and mouthed the countdown. When Andy nodded to the camera, he looked and the light was off. “I’m just saying,” Shao Fei continued without knowing what Tang Yi’s body was blocking from seeing as Andy held up a legal pad, “If you cooperate with us, you will have a smaller sentence, but if you keep denying it all, we’re going to investigate further and manage to find a loose thread.”

Tang Yi watched their faces, smirking when he saw them all reacting to the message Andy was showing them.

**Whatever you’re being paid Tang Yi will triple and if you name names and give details the police will likely give you less than six months jail time and possibly even not that much.**

He then flipped the page and smirked at them with Tang Yi.

**Just think about getting out of a few months of jail time and coming home to a small fortune.**

Andy then immediately shoved the legal pad back up into the back of his pants and fixed his shirt, just in time before the light came back on on the camera.

“Listen, I’m not saying you may not have had reasons for what you’ve helped these people do,” Shao Fei continued, and suddenly the receptionist turned to him quickly.

“A man approached me on my way to work one morning. I thought he was a client with questions. Instead, he told me that if I helped him get girls’ addresses, he would pay me a lot of money. Then he made me sign a legal agreement to not talk about my employment at the risk of having to pay all the money back when I met him later to agree to the proposition. I knew chances were they might hurt them, but I- I couldn’t turn down that much money,” she said, grimacing. “It was a lot, lot, lot of money.”

Shao Fei lit up and Tang Yi smiled, glad he thought fast about how to fix this. “Okay, good! I know you signed a legal agreement, but this is a police investigation. We’ll deal with the legality of it for you. What more can you tell me?”

“My contact is named Li Ho Dong,” the man offered up immediately. “He gets me to take pictures of the strippers backstage when I’m ‘going to the bathroom’ and point out the ones I think people responded to the best and I send them to him. He then follows up with a private investigator named Cong Dao who goes to their homes and tries to get photos of them naked. I didn’t know it was for human trafficking,” he said, and he sounded genuine enough. “I thought they were just selling stalker porn photos.”

Andy’s waitress closed her eyes, looking genuinely scared, but spoke in a weak tone. “The local distributor is named He Liang.” Both the other two whipped their heads around, furthering Tang Yi’s suspicion that they knew they were doing something wrong, but had no idea _how_ wrong it was. “And I know where he sells them from.” Tang Yi’s eyes widened. She lifted her head and looked Shao Fei dead in the eyes. “And I know that there’s an auction going down today. Two women and a man are supposed to be auctioned off at noon.” She shook her head. “After they’re sold, He Liang doesn’t track them. The items are property of his buyers once the money is transferred.” She looked at Tang Yi this time. “If you can guarantee my safety, I’ll tell you where to look.”

~

“Going once? Going twice? Sold!” Zhao Zi flinched. “Congratulations, Mr. Chang! A lovely item for you to enjoy!” Zhao Zi’s pants were pulled back up and his shirt put back on, and a finger lifted his chin.

“Don’t worry, Darling. I’m not a cruel daddy to my favorite pets,” the man said, and Zhao Zi gritted his teeth to not bite the finger under his chin off. 

Zhao Zi was humiliated. He was terrified. But he wasn’t broken, so he took what fight he had left in him and looked the man in his eyes before speaking with venom in his voice. “No matter what you do to me, no matter how much you try to break me, you’re the one whose spine will be snapped when my husband finds me, and don’t for a second think that you can take me anywhere on this planet he can’t and won’t find. And when he gets his hands on you, you will regret the day you were born.”

The man just laughed, looking amused. “Oh, a feisty one. I do love spirit in my pets. But no worries. I’m pretty sure I’ll be just fine,” he said, patting Zhao Zi on the cheek lightly. 

And then the henchman untied Zhao Zi’s feet. His ‘owner’ took his wrist and pulled him just a few steps before Zhao Zi wheeled around, grabbed the henchman’s gun out of the holster very visible under his jacket, and turned so he could aim at the seller, the buyers, and the henchman. “Get out of my way,” he said coldly, keeping them all in his sight as he corralled them into the corner he had been in. 

“Oh put that down before you hurt yourself,” the woman said, sounding exasperated. “You really think we’re scared of a stripper with a gun?” 

He saw red and shot at the floor not two feet from her ugly shoes, making her scream and jump back. “I’m a fucking police detective, you bitch,” he snapped. “Detective Zhao Zi, CIB Division three, narcotics and organized crime. We’ve been investigating this human trafficking ring for months now. I was undercover and this asshole-“ He pointed the gun at the seller. “Has been planning on taking us out by selling is to you sick fucks one by one.” He pointed at the guy who bought him. “And I wasn’t kidding about my husband. You can ask them. They realized who he is pretty fast. That’s why they wanted to auction me off first. You all better hope the police find me before he does.”

“Good work, Detective,” the seller said, then raised an eyebrow. “But do you think you have the only gun in the room?”

Immediately one of the buyers reached for his belt and before he could even get his gun up, Zhao Zi shot him, and then took off running for cover before one of the others could scramble for the dropped gun and shoot back. He knew running upstairs wasn’t smart, but he was pretty sure his best bet would be to kick out a window upstairs, jump, and run like hell. He just hoped he was faster than they were.

~

As soon as the girl told them where there was a warehouse in the industrial district, Shao Fei insisted they go at once. His entire unit, Tang Yi, and Jack set out immediately. When they got to the warehouse, there were no cars in sight, which was odd, since she said the auction should be in progress. The police started an immediate sweep of the bottom floor and Jack went upstairs to start the search there. Tang Yi wanted to go help him, but he stuck with Shao Fei, because he wasn’t letting Shao Fei out of his sight with dangerous criminals somewhere in this warehouse. 

“CLEAR!” 

“CLEAR!”

“THIS ONE’S CLEAR, TOO!” 

The shouts of Unit 3 searching the areas individually echoed as he and Shao Fei searched their own corner of the warehouse among the abandoned stacks of equipment and containers and shelves

Tang Yi knew they had found the right place but the wrong outcome when he heard what could only be described as the worst, most anguished wail he had ever heard in his life. It was Jack’s voice. He and Shao Fei looked at one another and immediately Shao Fei's face crumpled. “No!” He ran up the stairs and Tang Yi followed on his heels. When they entered the large, open room, Tang Yi's heart dropped when they found Jack, the most ruthless assassin Tang Yi ever knew, clutching his husband’s limp body and sobbing violently. 

“Zhao Zi?!” Shao Fei cried, stopping short when Jack buried his face in bloody hair and cried like a child. “No,” Shao Fei whimpered.

“An An, please don’t leave me,” Jack sobbed, clutching him closer. “No, no, no,” he repeated. 

Tang Yi would have always expected if anything happened to someone Jack loved, his response would be rage. However, looking at Shao Fei, he remembered his own sobbing when he shot him. Shao Fei knelt beside them and tugged Zhao Zi's hand up and Tang Yi saw the bullet wound in his chest that his arm had been hiding. 

“I’m so sorry,” Tang Yi whispered. “I-“

“He’s not dead!” Shao Fei looked around quickly. “Help me! We have to stop the bleeding! His pulse is very faint but I feel one!”

Jack immediately ripped the sleeve off his jacket and pressed it tightly to his husband’s chest. “There’s no time for an ambulance, hold this while I carry him!” he said immediately, and he lifted him in one move, only keeping from running as to let Shao Fei keep pace and hold pressure on the wound.

As Tang Yi followed them, he called his trusted doctor and had him get ready to prep for surgery immediately as soon as they could get there. The cops all followed to their own cars as Jack loaded Zhao Zi in the back of Tang Yi’s car and Shao Fei jumped in, holding pressure. Tang Yi barely had his foot off the ground when Jack floored it, tears of panic on his cheeks as he rushed to get his husband to the hospital to save his life.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DOES ZHAO ZI MAKE IT?!?!?

Shao Fei knew that Jack loved Zhao Zi, but he’d never truly trusted him with him until he watched him now, sitting in a hospital waiting room chair, staring at Zhao Zi’s blood on his hands and crying silently. Shao Fei knew what Jack had done in the past. He had killed people without a care in the world. He had _killed people_. His job had been to end human lives. Shao Fei could never forgive him for that, because it was unforgiveable. But at the same time, he felt pity for that part of his life because he truly, in the moment he watched him sobbing over his husband when he thought he was dead, realized that Jack had lacked basic human emotions before he fell in love. 

He knew how many people Jack had killed. He knew that Zhao Zi did, too. But somehow it was easier to compartmentalize ‘before Zhao Zi’ and ‘after Zhao Zi’. Jack’s history was dark. Shao Fei knew what horrors he’d lived through. And like Zhao Zi, he understood that Jack wasn’t an evil person, he was a person who never knew love a day in his life before he met Zhao Zi. Not just romantic love, but he had never felt love of any form. He was an orphan who never in his life knew anything but suffering and survival. He survived by killing people both in the military and then as a mercenary and then as a mobster. It was all he ever knew.

It was hard to look at the man crying in front of him while they waited to learn if the only family he had ever had was going to live or die. He was wary for a long time about whether Jack was playing a long game with Zhao Zi, but any doubts he had left disappeared since the moment Zhao Zi was taken. 

Jack had found his own humanity when he met the only person who had ever loved him. Shao Fei feared what would happen if that love was taken away from him. Every single person who was involved would die and it would be slowly and painfully. Shao Fei knew that Jack hadn’t hurt anybody since Zhao Zi asked him to stay with him, but if he lost the only person who had ever loved him in any way, Jack would be the type of monster that nobody could tame. 

And then there was Tang Yi.

Tang Yi was currently asleep with his head on Shao Fei’s lap, and he knew that Tang Yi’s heartbreak wasn’t for Zhao Zi as much as memories of the time he shot Shao Fei. Shao Fei reached up and felt of the scar on the right side of his chest and smiled sadly at the memory. It hurt more than anything he had ever felt, and yet as he lay there bleeding out, his only thought was heartbreak over the fact that Tang Yi would blame himself if he died. He worried only for Tang Yi that day. That was why he was cradling him close, stroking his hair gently now, because he knew Tang Yi felt the fear that Jack did. Tang Yi was reliving his own worst nightmare with guilt on top of it. 

Shao Fei couldn’t wait to marry Tang Yi and remind him that it was all over and nothing would take Shao Fei away from him. He just hoped like hell that his best friend was able to stand at his side the day he said, ‘I do’ to the love of his life. 

The door opened and immediately, Jack shot to his feet, bloodshot eyes still spilling tears down his cheeks. Shao Fei looked at the doctor and nudged Tang Yi awake. Tang Yi opened his eyes just as Jack let out a ragged sob and put his face in his hands.

~

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

“Nnnnng, Jack, turn off the alarm,” Zhao Zi muttered, reaching to his left, only to hit a hard thing that was not his husband’s firm body. He frowned grumpily and opened his eyes, only to see a ceiling that was _not_ their bedroom above him. He tried to sit up, only to gasp and clutch his chest, crying out softly in pain.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay, just lay still.” He looked up to see Jack leaning over him. Jack smiled a small, warm smile full of nothing but love and Zhao Zi smiled back. “There’s my An An’s beautiful smile,” he whispered.

“Jack?” he asked weakly. “What…” He trailed off and blinked a few times, flinching when he remembered the impact of blinding, searing pain hitting him in his chest. “Oh. I was shot.”

“Yes, but you’re going to be just fine,” Jack reassured him. He stroked his hair gently. “Oh, Baby, I was so scared.” He blinked a few times and Zhao Zi was shocked to see tears in his eyes. “An An, I thought you were dead,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I found you in a pool of blood and thought you were dead.”

“Oh Jack,” he whispered, his heart breaking. “I’m so sorry you found me. I’m sorry you had to see.” Zhao Zi shuddered. “It was so horrible, Jack. I suffered so much humiliation and I thought I was going to get out. I managed to take the henchman’s gun and escape, but they caught up with me and shot me.”

Jack grinned. “That’s my boy, getting your hands on a gun and making it out of there.”

“The alternative was never seeing you again,” he whispered, his throat closing up at the memory of thinking he wouldn’t ever get to see Jack again. “I love you so much, Jack. I thought I was never going to get to tell you that again.”

“I love you, An An,” he whispered, stroking his hair gently. “Did they hurt you? Other than the bruise on your head and the gunshot, you seem to be in better shape than I was afraid of.”

Zhao Zi shuddered, looking away. “Because they wanted to keep me ‘appealing’ to the buyers.” He whimpered. “Jack, they stood me in front of people and- and took off my clothes and, and showed me off like they were selling a car, not a person. And someone _bought_ me,” he whimpered. He shook his head. “Some man paid millions for me. He called me ‘a new pet’.”

“I’ll find him and I’ll kill him,” Jack promised, and Zhao Zi turned back quickly, shaking his head. Jack looked a bit pained at that, but he sighed and nodded. “Okay, I’ll find him and call the police.” Jack bit his lip. “Zhao Zi, they’re going to have to question you because they learned that they don’t keep any record or keep track of the victims after they’re sold. They have to do something to get the ones in charge of this ring and hope they’ll spill on some of their clients so Shao Fei can raid their houses.”

Zhao Zi nodded. “Okay.”

“But not right now,” Jack said, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “Right now you’re just going to rest for me, okay?”

Zhao Zi smiled and nodded. “Just don’t go anywhere.” He bit his lip. “Hey, Jack? Will you kiss me?”

Jack smiled at him and leaned down, gently pressing his lips to his. Zhao Zi reached a weak hand up to lay on his cheek, sighting as their lips caressed each other. When the kiss broke, he looked into those beautiful eyes and whispered, “I was so scared that man was going to kiss me when he grabbed my chin. Only you are ever allowed to kiss me. You were my first kiss and you better be my last, too.”

Jack nodded, turning to kiss the palm that was cupping his cheek. “Just make sure we’re old and gray then,” he said, and though it sounded joking, Zhao Zi could see the pain in his eyes that said he was thinking about almost losing him.

“I’m here and I’m going to stay here. You can breathe now.” Jack’s smile as he sat down at the bedside met his eyes and he nodded, resting his chin on the rail of the bed. Zhao Zi just closed his eyes to get some rest, under the safe watch of his husband, who would protect him from any further harm.

~

Shao Fei and Tang Yi stood there for a good give minutes, just looking a the strange slight of Jack asleep. His head was on the bed beside Zhao Zi’s lap and Zhao Zi was sleeping with his hand in Jack’s hair. “I’ve never seen Jack asleep in all the years I’ve known him,” Tang Yi whispered.

Shao Fei hummed. “You know. When he’s sleeping he looks less…” He tilted his head, taking in Jack’s slack face. “Murder-y.”

“I will look a lot more ‘murder-y’ if you don’t shut up and let my husband sleep.” They both startled a bit when Jack opened his eyes. “You really think I would stay asleep when two people walked into the room while I’m sleeping?”

Tang Yi smirked. “Let me guess, though. Zhao Zi could do jumping jacks on the bed and you would sleep through it.”

“Obviously, I can tell who is my husband and who isn’t,” he said, sitting up carefully, gently lowering Zhao Zi’s hand back to the bed, but not before kissing it.

He got up and walked over and Tang Yi nodded to the bed. “How is he?”

Jack clenched his jaw. “It was bad,” he said tightly. “He’ll tell it all in his statement, but they stripped him naked and paraded him in front of buyers and then auctioned him off.”

“Oh fuck,” Shao Fei said, eyes going wide.

Tang Yi closed his eyes. “Did they hurt him?” he asked, his intention clear.

Jack shook his head. “The guy that bought him only had him for a minute or two before they fucked up and let him spot a gun.” He smirked. “My husband is such a badass, huh? He snatched a gun and turned it on them and managed to escape. They just chased him down and shot him before he could get clear.”

“Go Zhao Zi!” Shao Fei said, looking proud. 

“I’m so proud,” Jack said, looking brighter than Shao Fei was used to. “I always worried Shorty was too naïve, but I guess he’s stronger than I ever imagined, even after knowing him and how capable he is for so many years.”

“He’s a great shot,” Shao Fei pointed out. “You should see him at the gun range.”

Jack sighed, looking back at Zhao Zi. “No, I really shouldn’t, because it would end in public indecency.”

“God, you’re weird,” Shao Fei groaned. He looked at Tang Yi. “You don’t get turned on by me with a gun, do you?”

Tang Yi shuddered. “Fuck no. I hate guns. The negative association is worse than ever after I shot you. I’ve been shot, you’ve been shot twice, once I did it, and the only father I ever knew was murdered with one. I fucking hate guns. You have to use yours, but I always worry you’re somehow going to shoot yourself just having it around you.”

“Awwww, you’re the cutest criminal ever,” Shao Fei teased, leaning in to kiss him sweetly.

“Ew, it never gets less gross watching Ah-Fei kiss Tang Yi.” They all looked over to see Zhao Zi watching them.

Jack immediately went to him. “Good morning, An An. Would you like some water?” he asked, getting the glass and a straw. He helped Zhao Zi shift high enough he wouldn’t choke and gently gave him water. “There you go.”

“Thank you,” he said when he was finished. “Meng Shao Fei, I’m never, ever, ever going undercover as a stripper again.”

They all burst out laughing, because of course, that was the first thing he said to his best friend after nearly dying.

~

Jack was absolutely amazed at how brilliant his husband was. “Yeah, that’s his face!” He looked at the police sketch artist’s sketch of what Zhao Zi explained, and looked at Zhao Zi and smiled.

“Shorty, you’re sure?”

“Absolutely.” He cringed. “I will never forget a single face I saw that night, Jack,” he said, and Jack just hugged him gently. 

It had been three days since Zhao Zi got shot. He was recovering well, considering the bullet barely missed his heart and did pierce one of his lungs, but he was a healthy guy so the outlook as good. He was happy about that, too, because he couldn’t lose his husband. He would rather die. 

“We’ll send this to Interpol and pass it along,” the sketch artist said, closing his pad. “Captain?”

Zhao Zi’s Captain nodded, standing at the foot of his bed. “I have to say that I’m grateful we got you back in somewhat good shape,” she said, looking at Zhao Zi. “You’re a good detective. And most of all, you’re a very loved man,” she added with a smalls mile. “Shao Fei nearly lost his mind trying to find you.”

Zhao Zi smiled, leaning his head on Jack’s arm where he sat on the side of his bed. “I know,” he said softly. “Shao Fei is my best friend. I’m sure he was the second most panicked after Jack here.” He smiled up at Jack. “They’re the two people who love me most.”

The Captain cleared her throat. “Yes. About that.” She looked at Jack. “I gave as much room as I could. Please let us handle this now and remember, if you kill them, you will go to prison. If you report them to use, they will.”

Jack sighed but nodded, looking down at Zhao Zi. “Four years ago, you wouldn’t have a chance in hell I let them walk. But I’m a married man with a husband who will need to be cared for for a long time right now.” He petted Zhao Zi’s head. “Captain, I promise you. I’m not leaving his bedside until he’s healthy.”

She nodded. “Good.” She headed for the door then hesitated, looking back. “I still don’t like it,” she said bluntly. “But if loving my detectives keeps you and Tang Yi in order, then I’ll accept it.”

“Thank you,” he said, and he was sincere in saying so. He wasn’t a good man. He never would be. But he was a changed one. He changed for Zhao Zi. He changed for the love of his life. He changed to become family with a man so special as Zhao Zi.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THAT's ALL, FOLKS!

Andy was the one who spotted one of the men Zhao Zi described because Shao Fei got him and his husband copies of the police sketches. When he called Shao Fei, the entire unit as well as several backup units took the bar completely over and managed to not only arrest the man, but save a girl who had been drugged and was unconscious in his car while he waited to pick out yet another person to take. It only took a few threats of letting Tang Yi’s men handle him (off the record) before they took him into custody and he sang like a canary. 

Two weeks after Zhao Zi’s kidnapping, they managed to take down the entire local wing of an organization that was committing human trafficking and sex slavery crimes all over Asia. Shao Fei was more than happy to help Interpol pass along whatever information he could get from the group of people who were in charge of their local chapter of the organization to China, to Vietnam, to Thailand, all places around them where there were other chapters of the organizations. Anything they could do to take down the kidnappers, the sellers, and the buyers was paramount. They had just enough information on some of the frequent buyers – a thought that nearly turned Shao Fei’s stomach – to rescue _twenty-three_ people who were still alive and ‘owned’ by the buyers. 

One of the ones Shao Fei was on the raid to rescue was a twelve year old little girl, emaciated and dressed in a sexy maid costume and in the act of kneeling on the floor holding his glass of scotch beside his chair when they arrived, and he almost shot and killed the bastard who ‘bought’ her because he could barely handle his disgust. 

“I’m glad Jack is taking care of Zhao Zi,” Shao Fei whimpered as Tang Yi held him, because the moment he got home after having to take the statements of that child and hear all the horrors she survived, he ran to the kitchen and flung himself into Tang Yi’s arms. “He would go to prison for the rest of his life,” he choked out.

Tang Yi hadn’t asked what upset him, and Shao Fei didn’t want to scar him with the knowledge. “I know this is hard. I know you’re seeing a lot of horrific things. But you’re saving them,” Tang Yi told him gently, rubbing his back. “Yes, these victims suffered something horrible, but they’re alive. They’re alive and they won’t be hurt anymore. You’re saving people who probably dreamed every day of being rescued. Or ones who gave up any hope.” Tang Yi kissed his head. “I remember lying there, bleeding out, and thinking this was it, I was going to die, because nobody would find me in time. You found them in time,” he said softly. “You saved them before the monsters that took them could get sick of them and kill them.”

“So many didn’t live,” Shao Fei confessed, letting out a ragged sob. “One boy said there were three of them originally. He was nineteen when the bastard bought three teenage boys and he’s the only one that survived. He- he told me one killed himself, the other angered their ‘master’ so he beat him to death, and this boy was with this monster for _two years_ and watched the other two die. It’s the worst case I’ve ever worked, Tang Yi. This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in all my time as a police officer.” 

And it was. It was traumatizing. Captain had brought in a rotation of therapists to be at the office at all times for them just because they weren’t all handling it well. Yu Qi kept bursting into tears typing up reports so bad they had to put her on leave, she was so traumatized. Shao Fei was honestly glad that Zhao Zi was still on medical leave because being shot in the chest took a long, long recovery, far longer than either times Shao Fei was shot. Even if they wouldn’t have him on that case after his involvement as a victim, just being at the office and coming across statements would destroy him. 

“I worked in organized crime since I was a teenager and he started teaching me the ropes,” Tang Yi murmured, holding him tightly to support his fiancé. “Nothing, and I mean nothing, this horrible ever happened. Boss would have killed anybody who did something like this. And I keep thinking about how easily we could have been kidnapped and sold when we were street kids,” he said, and Shao Fei shuddered at the thought. “Killing rivals is bad enough. That’s why he wanted us to go legitimate. He was sick of blood being on our hands. I never killed anybody, but he did. And I did get my hands dirty interrogating people. But selling or buying people. _Raping_ someone. It’s just… unimaginable. And that’s coming from a man who has beaten people half to death before.”

Shao Fei gasped suddenly. “Shit, I forgot what happened to you! Tang Yi, oh God, if any of the things I’ve been venting to you about make you uneasy, please tell me,” he stressed. He grabbed his face and looked into his eyes. “What he tried to do to you is horrible. Please tell me if you need me to find someone else to talk about these things with.”

Tang Yi smiled and shook his head, curling his arms around Shao Fei’s waist. “If anything, that’s why I’m so happy you’re able to save so many of them. I thought he was going to rape me,” he said simply. “Someone I once trusted drugged me with the intention of raping me. These poor people did suffer what I got lucky enough to escape. I want the people who hurt them to pay for doing that.”

Shao Fei sighed. “Today’s case was bad. It was really bad. I won’t even speak about it, it’s so bad. But she’s alive. She’s alive and now she’s safe. And the best part of all of it is that, and this is the only details I can give you, her parents have been searching for her for six months and now they get to know their daughter is alive and she can go home and go back to school and back to her friends and just- just get a chance to be a normal girl. Even if it takes tons of therapy and even if she’s never the same as she was, she’s alive,” he stressed. “She’s alive. And the people behind her six months of hell will never se the light of day again.”

Tang Yi groaned. “Oh God, it was a girl still under eighteen, wasn’t it? Fuck these monsters,” he said, laying his head on Shao Fei’s shoulder. “You’re stronger than me, My Dear, because I couldn’t have helped it. You have a gun and rescued a child and saw the bastard who paid for her. I couldn’t have held back.”

“I almost didn’t,” he said softly, kissing Tang Yi’s hair. “Hey Tang Yi, if I go to prison for killing a suspect, will you break the law and get put in there with me? We can be married cellmates like in that American movie we watched that time.”

Tang Yi laughed and pulled back to smile at him. “Sure. I’ll go sell some drugs so we can get put in together,” he said, kissing Shao Fei gently. Shao Fei sighed into the soft kiss and let it linger. “Do you want to go shower while I finish dinner?” he asked and Shao Fei nodded, rubbing their noses together affectionately.

“I love you,” he murmured and Tang Yi kissed him one more time.

“I love you, too.”

~

Tang Yi took one look at Shao Fei standing at the other end of the aisle when the quartet began to play and immediately the tears began to fall. He was so beautiful. Shao Fei was the most beautiful person Tang Yi had ever seen in his entire life. He put his hands over his mouth and just watched Shao Fei coming down the aisle towards him as the tears fell. Hong Ye nudged him and he lowered his hands, but when he glanced at her, he saw she, too, was wiping discreetly at her eyes. Andy was smiling brightly, looking right at Tang Yi behind her and he laughed wetly as he turned back to his soon-to-be husband. Across from him, Zhao Zi gave him a dramatic thumbs up as he turned back to watch Shao Fei getting closer. 

When Shao Fei stepped up to the alter and took his hands, Tang Yi beamed at him. Shao Fei was so fucking adorable with his dorky smile and that piece of hair that just would not stay put. It was Tang Yi’s favorite piece of hair ever. _I love you_, Shao Fei mouthed at him and Tang Yi sniffled and nodded, mouthing it right back. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, we gather here today for Meng Shao Fei and Tang Yi to join each other in marriage from this day forth. Many of us thought this day may never come-“ Shao Fei turned to glare at Jun Wei, who just smirked back as he kept reading his speech as the officiant. “Some of us may have hoped it wouldn’t.” Tang Yi gave him a flat look. “But after a long and rocky road, two people we all know and love – at least one of them I guess – are ready to be joined together for the rest of their lives in matrimony. Our beloved grooms have each prepared their own vows. Shao Fei, I believe you wanted to go first?”

Shao Fei nodded and looked into Tang Yi’s eyes, his own a bit misty. “The first time I met you, I wanted to put you in prison,” he began, and Tang Yi could only beam. “I spent four years trying my hardest to solve an investigation in which I thought you were the bad guy. I chased you daily. I memorized your entire life and routine. I knew your favorite foods, I knew how you drank your tea, I knew your underwear size even. All of this was before I knew _you_,” he said, and Tang Yi bit his lip to keep it from wobbling. “And then we got kidnapped together. You hated me, and I wanted to arrest you, but when I got hurt and got sick, you took care of me. The pain in your ass that spent four years terrorizing you, and you protected me and took care of me. I still didn’t trust you then, but that’s when I think I began to fall in love with you.” Tang Yi had never heard any of this before, and it was all flashing through his memories in awe. “When you let me get closer to you and allowed me into your home and to be around your family, I started to see you, the real you. You were a brave, kind, surprisingly gentle man. The first time I saw you wearing an apron and cooking with that beautiful little smile you get when you take joy in making food, I think my heart almost stopped.” Shao Fei sniffled. “I spent four years obsessed with you, but the past four years I’ve been in love with you. I know we’ve been through a lot of hard times, but I would go through them all over again because you, Tang Yi, are the best man I’ve ever known and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

When he finished, Jun Wei actually sniffled. “Damn. That was really sweet, Shao Fei.” He looked at Tang Yi and Tang Yi let out a wet laugh and nodded.

“Meng Shao Fei, you hounded me relentlessly for so many years and I still to this day have no idea how I didn’t see how perfect you are from the very first day I met you.” Shao Fei beamed at him. “I’ve had a hard life. Most everybody knows how bad things have been for me since I was born. But every bad thing I ever went through is worth getting me to this point: standing in front of you and promising you my entire future.” He took a slow breath and let it out. “I’ve never met anybody as kind and understanding as you are. You’re generous and you’re reliable and you’re unendingly hardworking. You would do anything for anybody in need. You care so deeply about most anybody you meet. You would, and have, jumped in front of a gun for even the worst people out there just because you want to protect people, no matter if you love them or have never seen them in your life.” He sniffled. “I have only loved my late father and my sister in my entire life, and then I met you. I’m the ex-con, but you’re the thief who stole my heart,” he whimpered, his voice breaking. Shao Fei giggled adorably at his cheesy line and he felt proud. “I want to cook for you for the rest of your life. I want to be the one who waits up late nights worrying about you out there being a badass and saving people. I want to be the person who bandages your cuts when you get hurt stopping bad people from doing bad things. I don’t _want_ to, but I’m almost sure I’ll end up sitting beside a hospital bed with you in it more than a few times in our future together, and every time I want to be the one to hold your hand while you recover.” Tang Yi squeezed his hands gently. “You make me want to be a good person. You make me a better person every day.” He shook his head. “My life changed the day I met you, and I’ve never been happier about anything in my entire life. I love you more than words can say, so I’ll just say this: Thank you, Meng Shao Fei, for giving me your heart. I’m not worthy of it, but I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life.”

“Shit, I’m half in love with you after that speech,” Jun Wei said, and everybody laughed. “Well, folks, I think that says it all. Tang Yi, do you take Shao Fei to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do,” Tang Yi said firmly.

“Meng Shao Fei, do you take Tang Yi to be your lawfully wedding husband?”

Shao Fei giggled excitedly. “I really, really do.”

Jun Wei smiled. “Then I must now declare you officially married. You can now kiss your groom,” he said, and Tang Yi almost burst with joy as he tugged Shao Fei into his arms. 

The first touch of his _husband’s_ lips was the most precious moment of Tang Yi’s life.


End file.
